Cowetaliving2016 lowres

A PUBLICATION OF THE NEWNAN TIMES-HERALD

2016-17 GUIDE TO NEWNAN-COWETA COUNTY

The goal goal of of the the doctors doctors and and other other providers providers at The at Georgia Georgia Bone Bone & & Joint Joint is is orthopaedic orthopaedic excellence excellence while while delivering delivering The goal goal of of the the doctors and other other providers at Bone Joint orthopaedic excellence while delivering exceptional caredoctors to patients and their families.

They have and professional approach, while The and providers at Georgia Georgia Bonea& &deeply Joint is iscaring orthopaedic excellence while delivering professional approach, while They have a deeply caring and professional exceptional care toyet patients their families. professional approach, approach, while while offering innovative, provenand techniques to treat each patient. offering innovative, yet proven techniques to treat each patient.

Reflecting the depth of experience that the orthopaedic surgeons of Georgia Bone Bone & & Joint Joint have have brought brought to to thefor orthopaedic & have to Reflecting the depth of experience Bone & Joint JointBone have& brought to areas over three surgeons decades, of theGeorgia doctorsBone of Georgia Joint Coweta County and the surroundingthat Georgia Bone &brought Joint have have areas forThey over live three decades, the here, doctors Georgia Bone & have Coweta County the surrounding Georgia Bonefamilies & Joint Jointattend have here and work andofthey and deep roots in theand Coweta/Fayette community. they and their their families attend They live here and work here, and they and their families attend deep roots in the Coweta/Fayette community. they and their families attend our schools and churches. They take care of all members of our community through through participation participation in in the the state state ofCoweta all members of ourClinic. community through participation in our schools and churches.

They take care through participation in the the state state at the Samaritan In fact, they the Medicaid program and as volunteers they are are the only only orthopaedic orthopaedic at the Coweta Samaritan Clinic. fact, they are only orthopaedic Medicaid in program volunteers theymission, are the the and onlythey orthopaedic care in these settings; it is In part of their consider surgeons the areaand whoasprovide orthopaedic mission, and they consider care in these settings; it is part of their mission, and they consider surgeons in the area who provide orthopaedic mission, and they consider it their duty as members of this community. it their duty as members of this community.

The surgeons at Georgia Bone & Joint trained at some of the leading orthopaedic centers centers in in the the country country and and trainedGeorgia at someBone of the&leading orthopaedic centers in and The surgeons atof Georgia & Joint centers in the the country and Joint offers the entire spectrum of orthopaedic bring that depth trainingBone to our community. entire spectrum ofcountry orthopaedic Bonefracture & Jointcare, offerssports the entire spectrum of bringincluding that depthjoint of training to our arthroscopy, community. Georgia entire spectrum of orthopaedic orthopaedic spine care, medicine including knee care, arthroplasty, medicine including knee and and spine care, fracture care, sports medicine including knee care, including joint arthroplasty, arthroscopy, medicine including knee and and shoulder, pediatric orthopaedics, foot and ankle care, and hand care, among other orthopaedic orthopaedic specialties. specialties. shoulder, pediatric orthopaedics, foot and ankle care, and hand care, among other orthopaedic orthopaedic specialties. specialties.

The doctors are on staff at both Newnan and Fayette Piedmont hospitals and and have have provided provided 24-hour 24-hour Newnan and Piedmont hospitals 24-hour The doctorsemergency are on staff at at both and have provided 24-hour orthopaedic care these carehave at the theprovided Cancer Treatment Treatment facilities forFayette decades.

They also provide and care at Cancer orthopaedic emergency care at these care to at the the Cancer Treatment facilities for decades.Bone They&also provide care at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Newnan.

The providers hard to provide timely care to to at Georgia Joint work hard provide timely care Centers of America in Newnan.

The hard to provide timely care to to providers at Georgia Bone & Joint work hard to provide timely care the community—in the office, in the emergency room, and on the athletic field. the community—in the office, in the emergency room, and on the athletic field.

Additionally, Georgia Bone & Joint surgeons operate a state-of-the-art orthopaedic orthopaedic surgery surgery center, center, the the Additionally, Georgia Bone & Joint orthopaedic surgery center, thein surgeons operate orthopaedic a state-of-the-art orthopaedic center, the Summit Surgery Center, which is the centersurgery available locally only dedicated outpatient center available locally in Summit County.

Surgery This Center, which is the only dedicated orthopaedic outpatient center center available locally in available locally Coweta orthopaedic to offer offer procedures in in an center allows Georgia Bone & Joint doctors to procedures in an Coweta County. to offer offer procedures in an an center allows Georgia Bone & Joint doctors to procedures in outpatient settingThis thatorthopaedic are frequently recovery and return to to activity activity minimally invasive, which accelerates recovery recovery and return outpatient setting that are frequently minimally invasive, which accelerates recovery and return return to to activity activity and for their patients. In fact, outpatient joint replacement is now available as same-day same-day surgery surgery at at this this facility facility for their patients. In fact, outpatient joint replacement is now available as same-day same-day surgery surgery at at this this facility facility including the innovative anterior approach hip replacement! including the innovative anterior approach hip replacement!

Georgia Bone & Joint offers experience and innovation in orthopaedic care when you you need need it, it, close close to to your your Georgia Bone & Joint offers experience and innovation in orthopaedic care when you you need need it, it, close close to to your your home. Please visit www.GeorgiaBoneandJoint.org for more information. home. Please visit www.GeorgiaBoneandJoint.org for more information.

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2016-17 GUIDE TO NEWNAN - COWETA COUNTY

Table of

CONTENTS

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY 18 | Coweta provides business-friendly environment 22 | Industrial/Commercial sector busy in Coweta 26 | Georgia Consortium of Advanced Technical Training now available in Coweta County

30 | Utility companies provide and give back to community 34 | Business Profiles: Greg Wright; Martin Pleyer; Ashley H. Schubert, Jr. 38 | Coweta offers a trove of treasures for savvy shoppers

12 Coweta Living 2016-17

44 | Coweta’s Thrift Stores: great deals for a great cause | 48 A mix of old and new makes Coweta a unique place to live — and dine | 54 Coweta a hot spot for television, movie filming | 58 Tourism vital to local economy 62 | Housing market improving in Coweta

CONTENTS cont.

COMMUNITY 68 | Local community thrives as metro Atlanta’s ‘healthcare destination’ 74 | Local community offers temporary home to visiting artists 79 | No shortage of entertainment in Coweta 82 | Map of Coweta County 84 | Mark Puckett offers a welcome at the visitor center 86 | More and more, local pastors are female 92 | Hometown Heritage Museum: A tribute to Lewis Grizzard 95 | Explore Coweta’s history at museums 96 | Walking in the governors’ footsteps 99 | Q&A with... Derenda Rowe; Ginger Jackson Queener; Jeff Bishop 1 02 | Many nonprofits offer assistance to Cowetans in need — and welcome volunteers 1 06 | Coweta Clubs

HEALTH & FITNESS 10 | Horses, riders enjoying local countryside 1 1 14 | Coweta County: a destination for golfers 118 | Plenty of sports for everyone 122 | Find your calling in Coweta County 1 26 | Get back to nature at local parks

EDUCATION 130 | Libraries offer programs, computers, lectures, books 136 | Cathe Nixon continuing Don’s legacy at Centre 140 | Q&A with... Lara Hrinko; Bob Heaberlin; Steve Barker 42 | Coweta County private/charter school 1 contact information 143 | Coweta County School System contact information

14 Coweta Living 2016-17

COUNTY / CITIES 46 | Newnan parks 1 149 | New to Coweta? Here’s the 411 152 | Coweta’s small towns 158 | Q&A with... Hasco Craver IV; Michael Fouts; Richard Ferry 59 | City of Newnan numbers to know 1 160 | City of Grantville numbers to know 1 60 | City of Senoia numbers to know 1 61 | Coweta County numbers to know

What is living at Somerby like?

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YOU ’ VE STILL GOT A SPARK INSIDE .

At Somerby, our Residents know exactly how that feels. Here, life is filled with opportunities to make deep friendships, stay physically active and stimulate all your senses. We invite you to learn more about the purpose-driven lifestyle that our Residents, Families and Associates enjoy at Somerby.

Experience what makes Somerby so Full of Life. Explore our website for Resident stories or call us to schedule a personal visit.

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2016-17 GUIDE TO NEWNAN - COWETA COUNTY

COWETA LIVING ONLINE cowetaliving.com 2016-17 GUIDE TO NEWNAN - COWETA COUNTY

Table of

CONTENTS

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY 18 | Coweta provides business-friendly environment 22 | Industrial/Commercial sector busy in Coweta 26 | Georgia Consortium of Advanced Technical Training now available in Coweta County

30 | Utility companies provide and give back to community

34 | Profiles: Greg Wright; Martin Pleyer; Ashley H. Schubert, Jr.

44 | Coweta’s Thrift Stores: great deals for a great cause

48 | A mix of old and new makes Coweta a unique place to live — and dine

54 | Coweta a hot spot for television, movie filming

58 | Tourism vital to local economy 62 | Housing market improving in Coweta

38 | Coweta offers a trove of treasures for savvy shoppers

12 Coweta Living 2016-17

President

Vice President

Publisher

News Editor

Creative Directors

Production Director

Debby Dye

Contributing Writers

Kandice Bell

EDUCATION

COMMUNITY

N

Local citizens “looking for jobs or pursuing degrees or work credits make up a growing number of our users,” Bass said. He said the CPLS eBook circulation is growing.

“This collection takes time to build — due to cost — but the numbers are definitely going upward,” Bass added.

PHOTO BY CLAY NEELY

No shortage of entertainment in Coweta

The fact that people are accessing information using various platforms creates its own need for information.

“We advise a good bit on how to use devices. There is so much out there, we are trying to focus on the biggest and best technology that is desired by our customers,” Bass said.

During 2015, more than 84,000 Cowetans held CPLS library cards.

This is the third-highest percentage of population with cards among 63 public library systems in Georgia.

There were 509,204 items checked out — books, DVD’s, CD’s, e-books.

CPLS held 345 programs for

132 Coweta Living 2016-17

With a thriving downtown square in Newnan, a small town dedicated to the filming industry and an emphasis on a popular TV series in Senoia, and a nearby state park offering year-round outdoor activities, Coweta County offers a long list of “what to do” for all ages.

Locals and visitors alike have celebrated small-town living for more than a century in Coweta’s central city of Newnan. The city offers a number of traditions in the downtown Court Square in addition to honoring its roots with local museums and tourist-friendly historic sites.

Hosted by Main Street Newnan, Market Day is part of downtown on the first Saturday of every month from April through December. The market showcases a variety of handmade, homemade and homegrown products created by local artisans, artists and farmers. Goods available for purchase include fresh produce, honey jams and jellies, salsa, pottery, art, leather products, baskets and flowers.

“Market Day is one of my favorite things in town,” said Main Street Newnan Manager Courtney Harcourt. “There are nearly 30 dedicated vendors and services and even entertainment at the local market each month.”

Marianne C. Thomasson Walter C. Jones W. Winston Skinner Sandy Hiser, Sonya Studt

Maggie Bowers

Sarah Fay Campbell

Emily Kimbell

Clay Neely

Celia Shortt

W. Winston Skinner

Paul Slobodzian

Molly Stassfort

Corby Carlin Winters

Martha A. Woodham

Solomon Cayetano, here with Children’s Library Associate Meagan Adair, is a frequent visitor to Coweta’s Central Library.

William W. Thomasson

Photography

Maggie Bowers

Sarah Fay Campbell

Wanda Carroll

Bronwyn Coffeen-Mercer

Mark Fritz

James Johnson

Jeff Leo

Sara Moore

Beth Neely

Clay Neely

Celia Shortt

Circulation Director

Sales and Marketing Director

Multimedia Sales Specialists

Naomi Jackson Colleen D. Mitchell Misha Benson

Wendy Danford

Mandy Inman

WRITTEN BY MAGGIE BOWERS Coweta Living 2016-17 79

A page-view version of Coweta Living will be available for the entire publication year.

We invite you to visit times-herald.com

for local, state, national and world news.

Candy Johnson

Controller

Diana Shellabarger

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION call 770.253.1576 or e-mail colleen@newnan.com Coweta Living is published annually by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc. 16 Jefferson Street, Newnan, GA 30263.

Coweta Living is distributed in home-delivery copies of The Newnan Times-Herald and at businesses and offices throughout Coweta County.

To subscribe to The Newnan Times-Herald, call 770.253.1576. © 2016 by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

L

Living in Coweta County Dictionary definitions of “living” refer to “having life” and use words such as thriving, vigorous and strong.

There are references to “burning or glowing” like a coal in a campfire at Chattahoochee Bend State Park and to “flowing freely” as the waters of the Chattahoochee. Wherever you are in Coweta County, there is good living — good neighbors, good food, parks, businesses, schools, churches.

Coweta’s natural beauty is abundant. In many areas of the county, there are long stretches of road with evergreens and deciduous trees masking deep forests. Coweta’s towns boast pleasant parks for picnicking, walking or just relaxing and contemplating.

Cultural resources cover a wide range of interests. Art is found at the Francoise Gilot Gallery at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts, as well as in many restaurants and businesses. Museums in Newnan, Senoia and Moreland offer unique experiences, and antique shops and thrift stores hold treasures waiting to be discovered.

There also are sports events and recreation facilities. Great schools and libraries are here, and Coweta increasingly offers opportunities for residents to pursue higher education.

It is the people of Coweta County who make this a unique place. Visit with Cathe Nixon at the Centre, spend a Sunday morning hearing Sarah Felix preach or stop by the old courthouse to get a brochure and a friendly greeting from Mark Puckett. You’ll gain some insights into what makes Coweta a fine place to live.

There are new, exciting things happening in our county. The German-style apprenticeship program is being watched not only in Georgia, but all over the United States. Our medical facilities are drawing people seeking healing — and some of the most skilled healers anywhere.

Even in Coweta’s history, there is the promise of tomorrow. Cowetans today can trace the steps of William Yates Atkinson and Ellis Gibbs Arnall, who represented their home county well serving as governor of Georgia.

Perhaps someday, an issue of Coweta Living will point out spots that seem ordinary today where a young person is growing up to fill that same role.

Until then, enjoy living in Coweta County — and this latest edition of Coweta Living.

— W. Winston Skinner, Editor

Coweta Living 2016-17 17

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

C

Coweta provides business-friendly environment

WRITTEN BY CLAY NEELY

Hilton Hotels continues preparation for their upcoming Hilton Home2 Suites.

18 Coweta Living 2016-17

For over 100 years, Newnan Utilities has helped Coweta County grow and prosper.

We’re proud to sponsor projects that continue to enrich and strengthen our vibrant community.

— Newnan Utilities’ Carl Miller Park — Holiday lighting and summer baskets on Newnan’s historic court square — Customer Appreciation Day

70 Sewell Road | Newnan, GA 30263 | 770-683-5516 | www.NewnanUtilities.org coweta living 16 revised ChamberNewcomers09.indd 1

6/20/16 11:46 AM

Coweta Living 2016-17 19

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Yamaha initially selected Coweta County because of the availability of talented workers, a superior quality of life and a government structure that was willing to support business needs.

As the recession of 2008 fades further into the distance, a local infrastructure built upon the foundation of quality jobs and education continues to bear fruit.

With easy access to the I-85 corridor and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the area continues to enjoy a steady pattern of economic growth. Companies of all sizes can attest to the business-friendly environment that has allowed them to grow and thrive.

However, one of the most crucial assets Coweta provides investors is the continued synergy between business development and local government.

Greg Wright, president of the Coweta County Development Authority (CCDA), knows the value of city and county government going the extra mile to recruit new business and to help existing industry expand.

“Local government works closely with the development authority to meet the needs of both existing and new businesses,” Wright said. “Between the educational opportunities that exist in our community and the excellent

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

relationship that industry shares with local government, it’s a perfect environment in which to grow or establish a company.”

Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation (YMMC) has called Coweta County home for the last 28 years, manufacturing its golf carts, ATVs and personal water sport vehicles here.

According to Executive Vice President Michael Chrzanowski, Yamaha initially selected Coweta County because of the availability of talented workers, a superior quality of life and a government structure that was willing to support business needs.

Chrzanowski, like Wright, spoke of the importance of close cooperation between local government entities and the development authority to help business and industry – existing and new – to flourish. “The county secures the needed utilities, resources and infrastructure to support the growing community, without losing its southern charm,” Chrzanowski said.

Hasco W. Craver IV, Newnan’s business development director, cites Newnan’s 5 percent vacancy in commercial properties citywide as another indicator that development is healthy in the city.

Low-interest loan programs brought businesses like Meat ‘N’ Greet and Gillyweed to the city, and now the DDA is helping to renovate the old Murray Printing building for commercial and residential use.

“Both the HealthSouth and Cancer Treatment Centers of America projects were a partnership between the city and the CCDA – working together for a larger goal,” Craver said. “We’re two jurisdictions that agree and move forward with presenting an incentive package. We’re looking at it together and asking, ‘does this make sense for our community?’ Let’s go together and do an incentive deal.”

The DDA also helped manage the University of West Georgia project. Using its power to secure its debt and manage the project – the end goal to create a pipeline of educated people who are ready to enter the workforce or giving adult learners the chance to go back to school in the community – has become a reality.

From financial incentives to hosting a high quality of life and an educated workforce, Newnan and Coweta County provide the full scope of what any new or existing company may need. CL

20 Coweta Living 2016-17

Low-interest loan programs brought places like Gillyweed and Meat 'N' Greet to downtown Newnan.

Coweta Living 2016-17 21

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

I

Industrial/Commercial sector busy in Coweta Coweta County and the city of Newnan have been moving

toward the future with more opportunities and options for residents and visitors.

Coweta has grown commercially and industrially through the addition of new businesses and the expansion of existing ones.

“Niagara was a win for the community we’ve had within the past 18 months,” said Newnan Business Development Director Hasco Craver IV. “They’ve been a great community partner and great corporate service.”

Niagara specializes in bottled water manufacturing and is located in the Shenandoah Industrial Park in Newnan.

Craver also added that he was confident with the commercial and industrial state of Newnan.

“CTCA opened up metro Atlanta, and for that matter, the state of Georgia and the Southeast to the city of Newnan,” added Craver. “It was not them alone, but they really helped by virtue of the way they do their business. They must have a certain amount of patients from

WRITTEN BY KANDICE BELL | PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARK FRITZ

22 Coweta Living 2016-17

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Niagara Bottling (top) is located in the previous Kmart Distribution Center in Shenandoah Industrial Park. The company has brought many new jobs to Coweta and specializes in bottled water.

Home2 Suites (bottom) is under construction. More lodging is needed in Coweta because of the growing healthcare industry and Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Here is a great place to call home.

If home is where the heart is, then we must be home. Here is where we’re glad to be your friend, your neighbor and your bank. So, turn to us anytime for the all financial services you need. Together, we are all part of this wonderful community and there’s no other place we would rather be.

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Coweta Living 2016-17 23

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY The Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Newnan serves patients from all over the Southeast region. The hospital typically pays their employees above the state average salary.

“Everyone is very helpful, whether it’s the city or the county or departments within the county.

Everyone wants to work together to create jobs in the community.”

— Greg Wright

outside of the state. Because they are a regional healthcare hospital, it is required by state law.

They advertise in a big way outside of just Atlanta. People are coming from outside our community, local as well, flying to the airport or driving here and receiving services, treatment, etc., and that has opened up our community and put our community more on the forefront and piqued more interest in the county.

“That’s been wonderful, because those people go back home and talk about Newnan. They are shopping and eating lunch in Ashley Park and downtown. It’s had that effect and helped other businesses grow as well. A definite result of CTCA is the increase in hotel development.

Piedmont and HealthSouth have done the same and have had a similar type of impact. They’re great employers. Having a major medical center in our community like a Piedmont is critical, because that’s a question that’s asked if anyone

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wants to invest in the community. They want to make sure great healthcare is available locally.”

Greg Wright, president of the Coweta Development Authority, said the county made some big moves in the right direction the past year.

“The big one is Elite Foam with 150 new jobs,” said Wright. “They’ve had three or four expansions in the past 10 years.”

Elite Foam specializes in products that enhance a consumer’s sleep. The company has a location on Sprayberry Road and in Shenandoah Industrial Park in Newnan.

“We’re just continuing to do what we’ve been doing,” said Wright. “Our goal is to help facilitate job creation in the county. The average wage in the county is $17.85 (per hour), and we want to raise that average wage, which is why we focus on health and manufacturing. Our focus is to continue to do that. Manufacturing has been very strong in Coweta the past 10 years. We’re right on I- 85, so the projects we’ve seen are primarily manufacturing, and we do see some warehouse distribution.

“The Albion consolidation also took place this year. Their main focus was making sure employees were taken care of and prepared for their consolidation. The 152,000 squarefoot industrial building has been purchased by Hardie Real Estate out of Atlanta for investment.

They’re very experienced with industrial real estate and they have their contacts as well. We work together with those private developers and private owners to get those buildings occupied.”

Wright said the county is growing because of the cooperation throughout the community.

“The county has grown and improved,” added Wright. “We have resources such as the school system, West Georgia Technical College, University of West Georgia and Brewton-Parker College, but the different programs through workforce investments also help develop a training program. I think we have a lot of resources that put us in a very positive position from a workforce standpoint.”

“Everyone is very helpful. Whether it’s the city or the county or departments within the county.

Everyone wants to work together to create jobs in the community. We have a great partnership in our community that’s willing to drop what they’re doing and come help.”

Wright said the CCDA is talking with many prospects that are interested in doing business in Coweta County. CL Coweta Living 2016-17 25

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

G

Georgia Consortium of Advanced Technical Training now available in Coweta County

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY CELIA SHORTT PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRENZEBACH

26 Coweta Living 2016-17

Coweta County continues to increase its industrial and educational opportunities for residents, including a German apprenticeship style program for high school students which begins in the fall.

The Georgia Consortium of Advanced Technical Training (GA CAT T) in Coweta is a German-style apprenticeship program and is the first in the United States to involve high school students.

This fall, it will allow 11 Coweta County 10th graders to take traditional high school classes, college-level manufacturing courses, and apprenticeship modules that will pay $8 an hour.

By 12th grade, they will be spend the majority of their school days at manufacturing sites and earning $12 an hour.

“The German Apprenticeship Program in Coweta brings 100 years of success and credentials known worldwide to Coweta County,” said Mark Whitlock, CEO of Coweta’s charter college and career academy the Central Educational Center. “The German young adult unemployment rate (ages 15-24) has been

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

the lowest in the industrial world, and is about half the U.S. rate.”

The German apprenticeship model works. “It has been working, and it yields more opportunities, higher wages and greater careers,” Whitlock said.

“CEC is involved because this fits the mission provided to us by our CEC board … That mission, ‘ensure a viable 21st century workforce,’ comes from the systemic way that Coweta County has structured CEC to create a joint relationship among business, the Coweta County School System and West Georgia Tech,” Whitlock added.

GA CAT T was four years in the making for Coweta County, and the chairman of the CEC board, Martin Pleyer, was instrumental in bringing it to Coweta County.

Pleyer is also the chief operating officer at the Grenzebach Corporation in Newnan.

In addition to the time, it took several CEC interns who performed work-based learning at Grenzebach, as well as the

Grenzebach in Newnan is starting a German-style apprenticeship program in Coweta County.

“The German Apprenticeship Program in Coweta brings 100 years of success and credentials known worldwide to Coweta County.”

— Mark Whitlock

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Students learn from Grenzebach employees in Germany.

Georgia state government to bring the program to fruition.

“Then last year SB2 (Senate Bill 2) enabled the students at an earlier age to take college courses and dual enroll at West Georgia Technical College,” Pleyer said. “Then I called up E.G.O. and other industries in Coweta and asked them to join in. Now seven others have pledged to join this program.”

For its first year, GA CAT T will partner with these local corporations: Grenzebach, E.G.O. North America, Yamaha, Kason, Yokogawa, Winpak, Chromalloy and Groov-Pin. Pleyer wanted to start this German-style apprenticeship program to help build the workforce in the area.

“I have issues finding a skilled workforce for my shop, and in the next couple of years a lot of long tenure employees will leave us into retirement,”

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he said. “As we have had an apprenticeship program in our headquarters in Germany for more than 50 years, it was logical to look at this. We picked industrial mechanic as the profession to start with because the skills you learn there are exactly what I need now and in future … We went with the German type because the curriculum is proven in Germany for more than a century, and it ensures a certain quality rigor that will yield the result we are looking for.”

Those skills include welding, machining, assembly, pneumatics and maintenance, he added.

“The most important thing it will provide is new opportunities for skill development and employability for our students,” said Coweta County School Superintendent Dr. Steve Barker. “That will benefit local employers in turn, and it will open doors for future students as other companies offer similar apprenticeship opportunities. Another benefit is that this idea has already brought recognition from around the state and country. It is innovative and collaborative, and that is positive for our community.”

There are also plans to grow GA CAT T and make it available to more students and businesses in the years to come.

“We are already seeing interest from additional companies who want to partner with CEC and the school system to establish apprenticeships,” Barker said. “That would provide opportunities in additional workforce categories – increased opportunities aligned with local workforce needs and student career interests.”

“We will be able to show other students the program at work,” said Whitlock. “That will immediately attract even more students. As important, we can now begin discussing the 350plus other occupational areas in which a program like this can be started. That will attract other students who are interested in different occupational areas.

“It will be important to continue bringing important stakeholders to the table to make this available to more students,” he added. “Coweta is becoming more global and more regional in its reach. These programs will require new global and regional stakeholders.” CL

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A student works at Grenzebach in Germany as part of the apprenticeship program there.

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Utility companies provide and give back to community

Newnan Utilities' Carl Miller Park

Along with providing homes and businesses with heating, air conditioning, water and other services, the utility companies of Newnan and Coweta County also take great pride in giving back to the community.

Serving more than 75,000 customers across Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Fulton, Clayton, Spalding, Troup and Meriwether counties, Coweta-Fayette EMC and its employees like to support each community in any way

they can.

Coweta-Fayette EMC is a strong supporter of education in Coweta County, working with many of the schools through safety programs presented by their linemen and sending vehicles for Community Helpers Day. For the past 26 years, they have also been a partner in education with Western Elementary, where they serve on the school council, help with educational purchases,

WRITTEN BY CLAY NEELY

30 Coweta Living 2016-17

observe Teacher Appreciation Week and provide educational programs for students.

EMC employees also participated in raising funds to benefit Relay For Life. This year, co-op employees cooked lots of food—like a mega-sized breakfast, gumbo, barbecue chicken and hot dogs—to sell to their coworkers for Relay proceeds. All of the hard work paid off: nearly $17,000 was donated for cancer research and recovery, and a large group represented the cooperative on relay night.

Through Operation Round Up, more than $200,000 per year goes to worthy groups and individuals in the EMC service area just by asking electricity customers to round up their monthly bills and donate the difference.

Each customer’s extra change, which amounts to no more than $11.88 per year, is tax-deductible and goes to people and organizations in our very own communities.

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Coweta-Fayette EMC was one of many local companies who participated in raising funds to benefit the annual Relay For Life event.

These donations make a tangible impact on thousands of lives.

Georgia Power employees also pride themselves with the motto of being a “citizen wherever we serve.”

In 2015, Georgia Power invested more than $17 million in nonprofits and charitable causes across the state, with employees and retirees donating 160,000 hours of volunteer service. Key initiatives include: Earth Day, MLK Day of Service, March of Dimes and the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life program.

The company recognizes that involvement at the local level is essential. So far in 2016, Georgia Power local employees have supported organizations such as the Coweta Samaritan Clinic and One Roof Ecumenical Outreach.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Volunteers, including Georgia Power employees, support local organizations such as the One Roof Ecumenical Outreach.

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as Georgia Power Ambassadors), identify and support various local causes and organizations which directly benefit their neighborhoods and communities.

Some of the organizations the company has been involved with in Coweta County this past year include: Coweta Schools Superintendent Advisory Board, Habitat For Humanity, Summit YMCA board, Newnan Rotary Club and Kiwanis Club.

Newnan Utilities has served the city of Newnan for more than 100 years. The company’s guiding business principle is not only to provide outstanding power and water service to its customers, but to be an outstanding corporate citizen.

According to its general manager, Dennis McEntire, employees are encouraged to serve the community in their working and personal lives, giving their time to dozens of local committees, plus countless Little Leagues, churches, and other organizations.

“I spend a lot of time out in the community, speaking to people of all influences,” McEntire said. “One of the most common things I hear

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

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when I introduce myself as the general manager of Newnan Utilities is how great our employees are. I am always proud to hear that, and it makes me feel blessed to be a part of this great organization every single time.”

McEntire believes that these reactions come from the employees’ involvement in the community.

“Part of Newnan Utilities’ culture is a spirit of volunteerism and helping in the community,” he continued. “The folks in our organization are involved in a variety of ways, from coaching Little League, to teaching Sunday school, and everything in between.”

As an organization, Newnan Utilities touches over 100 events and charitable causes annually, donating time and resources to help, including hanging and maintaining the flower baskets that enhance the beauty of downtown Newnan during the spring and summer, as well as the holiday lights and Christmas tree downtown.

Newnan Utilities’ employees individually contribute to their Lighthouse Committee, a committee that exists to help fellow employees and organizations in need.

Last year, that committee, funded solely and directly by Newnan Utilities employees, donated $14,000 to various causes.

The company’s 14-acre park on Sewell Road was constructed in the late 1980’s for everyone to enjoy.

Visitors play on its playgrounds and exercise on the jogging paths year-round, and kids can cool off in the fountains and splash pad during the hot summer months.

Visitors can also enjoy special events in the park’s pavilion which sees over 1,000 pavilion reservations annually and countless visitors.

“Newnan Utilities is proud to be a part of this great community, and we encourage other businesses to take part as well,” McEntire said. “When the community thrives, businesses thrive.” CL

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Coweta Living 2016-17 33

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Profiles Business

What is the primary goal of the authority?

Greg Wright President of The Coweta County Development Authority

Our goal is to help facilitate quality job growth in Coweta County through the location of new companies and through the expansion of our existing industries.

While it is certainly important to recruit new companies to the area, we place just as much of an emphasis on serving the needs of our existing industries. Communities see more job growth from their existing companies than they do from new companies locating in the area, so it just makes sense that established companies should be one of our primary focuses.

What kind of industries are making Coweta their home?

From manufacturers, processors and assembly operations to warehousing and distribution facilities, we are fortunate as a community to have a very diverse industrial base. That means a downturn in one industry sector will not adversely impact our entire community.

Personally, I am pleased to see the continued growth in manufacturing in Coweta County. Manufacturing jobs pay at a wage level higher than the average

WRITTEN BY CLAY NEELY

34 Coweta Living 2016-17

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

wage in the community, so it is incumbent upon us, as an organization, to continue to do what we can to help grow and promote this important industry sector.

Thanks to the success of Central Educational Center, the new GA CATT apprenticeship program focusing on industrial mechanics and our efforts to promote manufacturing through National Manufacturing Day and the Coweta Industrial Fellowship for Teachers, Coweta County is a recognized leader in promoting the manufacturing sector.

In your opinion, what makes Coweta an ideal place for companies to expand and grow their businesses?

Through our existing-industry-visitation program, we have learned that access to a skilled workforce, training and educational opportunities for current employees, and a business-friendly environment are what help our companies succeed and ultimately want to grow their business in Coweta County.

The same factors that are important to a company looking to locate to the area - location, infrastructure, education, tax structure, and quality of life - are also important, and our existing companies have the benefit of already knowing that Coweta County excels in those areas.

Knowing they will be able to find the additional workforce they need and have support from not only the Coweta County Development Authority, but from our local governments and the community in general, makes expanding and growing their business here an easy decision.

Greg Wright

Coweta Living 2016-17 35

Profiles

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Business

Martin P leyer

Chief Operating Officer at Grenzebach Corporation

How long have you lived and worked in Coweta?

I moved to the U.S. and Newnan in January, 2011, and live and work here since then.

What makes Coweta a good place for Grenzebach?

Grenzebach came here 28 years ago because of the great location and good workforce, close to the ATL airport, on Interstate 85 and the port of Savannah just four hours away.

How does the education system help with local industry?

Martin Pleyer

36 Coweta Living 2016-17

Our school system and post-secondary education institutes are supporting industry wherever they can. For example, the CEC is co-founded by the Coweta County School System, West Georgia Technical College and industry through the Chamber of Commerce. Actually with the CEC, the industry is in the driver’s seat when it comes to training a viable workforce. Internships and apprenticeships at local industry are very common, and more than 200 employers are participating in work-based learning programs with the CEC. This is how you get the workforce with the skills that industry requires.

Market President at Charter Bank, Coweta County How long have you lived and worked in Coweta?

I have lived and worked in Coweta County for 11 years.

What makes Coweta a unique place to work and do business?

Coweta County is a unique place to work and do business because the community has a small, hometown feel which helps foster close relationships, while the local economy is actually large and diverse enough for growth opportunities.

Why do you enjoy calling Coweta home?

Ashley H. Schubert, Jr.

I enjoy calling Coweta County home because it is a great place to raise a family. CL

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Lesleigh MacNabb of Lee-King Pharmacy shows off some of the store's unique merchandise.

Coweta offers a trove of treasures for savvy shoppers

Are you new to Coweta County or just looking for new fabulous finds?

Well, either way, you’re in luck.

Just consider me your personal shopper. There are those who like to shop and those who love it. I am indeed the latter. I really love it.

I certainly can’t list every store I am crazy about.

But I have worked to give you a sampling of where to find antiques, furniture, clothes, electronics and gifts in our neck of the woods.

WRITTEN BY CORBY CARLIN WINTERS | PHOTOGRAPHED BY BETH NEELY

38 Coweta Living 2016-17

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

So here we go. Looking for unique items, handmade pillows, chic painted/restored/old furniture or funky things that bring character to your home? You must check out Collector’s Corner & The BoneYard, Treasures Old & New, Circa Antiques & Coffee House Brewing Co. and Rockin’ B Antiques. Each has a unique inventory and charm.

At Treasures Old & New, you have the benefit of 70 dealers all in one place multiplying your chances of finding something special.

Since food and shopping often go hand in hand for women, Circa Antiques opened The Gathering, a perfect place to have sweet tea and lunch after your shopping adventure.

We have high-end fabric available with a great selection at Fabritque Boutique, with trims and fringes and custom-made pillows right within your reach. Maybe you’re not so good with a needle and thread yourself, but you can take advantage of the shop’s custom-sewing services.

Desiring the small-town feel and old Southern charm? We have that quaint shopping experience Lee-King Pharmacy is more than just a place to pick up your prescription. Savvy shoppers often pick up a gift for a baby shower or party and take it away – wrapped and ready for giving.

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in downtown Newnan, and unforgettable warmth.

There is C.S. Toggery if you are looking for men’s and women’s clothing from brands like Southern Tide, Southern Pride, High Cotton, Vineyard Vines and Hardwick Clothes.

While you’re downtown, you must browse through the amazing variety of items found at Grannie Fannie’s, a 6,000-square foot store of vintage and antique goods, from an heirloom chest of drawers to an autographed photo of Alan Jackson and who knows what else.

If you need to fill a prescription, head straight for any of the three Lee pharmacies – Lee-King, Lee-Goodrum and Lee-Goodrum Eastside, or take advantage of the free delivery within the city if you’re feeling puny. When you’re feeling like shopping, stop in for latest fashions, home décor’ and gifts. It is always a highlight to my week. Be prepared to be greeted and treated like long lostfamily and old friends.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, so if that is your fancy, stop by Morgan Jewelers, and you’ll find plenty to make your heart skip a beat. The long-time Newnan institution offers personal service and custom designs. You’ll get something you love. If they make it just for you, no one else Coweta Living 2016-17 41

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will have a piece like it.

Want the big city without the drive, then head to Ashley Park.

It’s a perfect place to stop for coffee, read your favorite book and explore. Pop into our large department stores such as Belk and Dillard’s and the more intimate shops.

Love the latest in beauty products? You need to go to ULTA before you leave Ashley Park. In addition to a wide selection of cosmetics, there is a salon right in the store. Let the professionals pamper you.

Zip across the street and head into JCPenney and also check out Sephora, another incredible beauty-store chain. Just down a bit are big-chain stores. Want a brand new sofa or dining room table? You find that at Ashley Furniture HomeStore. Then head to Target where you find pretty much whatever you need.

If shopping isn’t the only sport you compete in, you’ll want to include Dick’s Sporting Goods. Down the road is Academy Sports+Outdoors. Both have equipment for nearly every sport as well as just the right outfits to ensure you look good doing it, from tennis to yoga to hunting to fishing. You can stay cool while you’re looking cool with their selection of coolers and sunglasses.

Still craving the small-town shopping feel? Head to Senoia.

You will feel transported back in time to a simpler era. Have fun gathering with friends for a perfect afternoon. And you just might run into a movie star if you are into that. Antiques, clothes, home décor and coffee or lunch. Again I call that a fabulous day in Senoia.

Hobby Lobby and Michael’s offer items for those of you who like crafting of any sort.

Smith & Davis is a mecca for men and women for a variety of

Local shops offer a wide range of goods from home decor to fine clothes, jewelry, sporting goods and hardware. There also are local salons to pamper a shopper along the way.

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clothes, from hats for men to tennis shoes and jewelry as well. They’re known for their big tent sale each year.

Atlanta Market Furniture and Accessories in Peachtree City is totally eye candy. Don’t want to deal with AmericasMart in Atlanta, but want what is offered? Put this store on your list.

I love electronics, like speakers and televisions, and from time-to-time, most of us also need vacuums and lawn equipment. There is Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Wholesale Expo. If you need a mower or chainsaw, head up to Jack Peek’s Sales in Palmetto.

My shopping adventure with you has come to an end.

Now it is your turn to check out these incredible stores and make your own discoveries. There are fabulous finds in Coweta County that will make your house feel like a home. CL

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

C

Coweta’s Thrift Stores: great deals for a great cause

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL

There is no lack of places to buy new clothes, furniture, and household items in Coweta County.

But if you’re looking to get great deals – and support a great cause – Coweta has several thrift stores, all of which raise money to support programs. These stores are also great places to donate your gently used clothing, toys, books and household items.

Local non-profits One Roof Outreach, Bridging the Gap, and Community Welcome House all operate thrift stores that raise money to help support their missions.

Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity has the “Restore” which sells furniture, fixtures and appliances. Upscale Resale Shoppe benefits Southwest Christian Care, and Crossroads Church operates the ReNew thrift store. There is also the Salvation Army thrift store and two Goodwills in Coweta.

One Roof provides temporary housing for homeless Cowetans, and provides financial assistance for people struggling with rent, mortgages, utilities, prescription drugs and other necessities.

One Roof also provides household items – from the thrift store – to families getting back on their feet, and issues vouchers to needy families for free clothing. The One Roof Resale House is

44 Coweta Living 2016-17

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Constance Jordan is the store manager for New Beginnings in downtown Newnan, which benefits the Community Welcome House, Coweta’s shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence.

located at 255 Temple Ave., Newnan, in the Westside Plaza Shopping Center. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

For more information visit www.oneroofoutreach.org or call 770-683-7705.

Bridging the Gap distributes food, toiletries and household items every Saturday to those in need, without conditions. Hot meals are also provided, and Bridging the Gap has frozen meals that people can come and eat during the week. There are also showers and laundry facilities for Coweta’s homeless population.

The thrift store, which is a fairly new part of the ministry, is called The Storehouse @BTG, and is located at 19 First Ave., Newnan. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m, Thursdays and Fridays. For more information, visit www.btgcommunity.org or call 770-683-9110.

Community Welcome House provides emergency and transitional

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Bridging the Gap has “The Storehouse,” a thrift store which carries a little bit of everything. Manager Tammy Owens tweaks a display, top. Above, Owens is pictured with volunteers Suzy White, left, and Melinda Jones.

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shelter, as well as programs, for women and children fleeing domestic violence. The shelter also operates a crisis line. The thrift store, New Beginnings by Community Welcome House, is located at 7 West Washington St., Newnan. Items donated to the thrift store are used to help the women at the shelter, and women getting their own homes, first; the rest of the donations are sold to raise money to operate the shelter. For more information visit www.communitywelcomehouse.org or call 770-683-8029.

ReNew Thrift Store, at 1741 Turkey Creek Rd., Newnan, is a ministry of Crossroads Church, and proceeds go to support those struggling financially. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. For more information call 770-755-7082 or visit the ReNew Thrift Store page on Facebook.

Coweta Living is distributed at

• The Newnan Times-Herald • Coweta County Welcome Center • and various locations across the county

COWETA LIVING ONLINE cowetaliving.com

46 Coweta Living 2016-17

(Downtown Newnan)

3111 Hwy. 34 East

(Thomas Crossroads Branch) Post Office Box 1909 • Newnan, GA 30264 PERSONAL • COMMERCIAL • GROUP • LIFE

Margaret Crawford organizes racks at One Roof’s Resale Store.

Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore has used furniture, appliances, fixtures and other household items – including lots of used doors and windows. Some new items are occasionally available.

Proceeds go to help fund new Habitat homes in the community. The store is located at 150 Pine Rd., Newnan, and shopping hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. For more information call 770-252-4061 or visit www.nchfh.org.

Southwest Christian Care, headquartered in Union City, provides hospice care, children’s respite care, senior care and spiritual care.

All services are offered free of charge. There are two UpScale Rescale Shoppes – one in Newnan and one in McDonough. The Newnan store is located at 31 Market Square Rd., Suite 105, Newnan, in the SummerGrove Market Square. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday through Friday, and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information visit www.swchristiancare.org or call 770-253-4702.

The Salvation Army provides families in need food, emergency financial assistance, and clothing vouchers. The store, and the local service center, is located at 670 Jefferson St., Newnan. For more information visit www.salvationarmy-georgia.org or call 770-251-8181.

Goodwill operates two stores in Newnan. Newnan West is located at 228 Bullsboro Dr., Newnan, and Newnan East is located at 3121 East Hwy. 34, at Thomas Crossroads. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Goodwill’s primary mission is help with job seeking, job placement and job training, and both Coweta locations also have a career center. The career center provides free use of computers, printers, fax machines and telephones to job seekers, as well as resumé and job-search assistance. The local stores are operated by Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers, headquartered in Columbus. For more information visit www.goodwillsr.org or call Newnan West at 770-254-8480 or Newnan East at 678-854-6839. CL

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

25 Greenville Street

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A mix of old and new makes Coweta a unique place to live — and dine WRITTEN BY MAGGIE BOWERS PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARA MOORE, BRONWYN COFFEEN-MERCER AND MARK FRITZ

With an ever-growing — and ever-

The Oink Joint BBQ joined the dining scene in downtown Newnan in April 2016. The unique eatery took over the former home of The Cellar at 9 East Washington Street.

48 Coweta Living 2016-17

changing — list of restaurants in Coweta, choosing a place to dine in the county has never been so deliciously overwhelming.

In the county’s center of Newnan, classic eateries like Sprayberry’s Barbecue and Golden’s on the Square remain favorites among locals while new establishments such as The Oink Joint BBQ, Pie-Five and Casa Burgers attempt to join the ranks of the city’s top contenders in food.

Though several new commercial buildings, including restaurants, have been erected in the city in 2016, Newnan remains known for its practice of “upcycling,” or repurposing generations-old and even historic buildings into new businesses.

Approaching a one-year anniversary, the bar and restaurant known as RPM Full Service was once a Chevron gas station.

The restaurant, which serves burgers, sandwiches and a variety of beer, traded in the old service station for a unique venue. The eatery includes an indoor bar with seating and a popular outdoor patio, decorated with a nod to the restaurant’s nottoo-distant past — the name included.

Other changes in Newnan in the last year include the relocation of The Cellar. A fine dining venue, The Cellar specializes in fine steaks, exotic game burgers and a selection of wines. Formerly located at 9 East Washington St., the restaurant relocated in

Photo by: Timothy Fernandez Photography

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

late 2015 to 20 Jefferson St., a larger space that adjoins The Newnan Times-Herald.

The Oink Joint, a unique barbecue restaurant created by a husbandand-wife team, took over The Cellar’s former home in Newnan and continues to offer their specialty blend of barbecued pork, beef, chicken and brisket. The eatery also offers a few other barbecue options such as barbecue tater tots and a barbecue baked potato.

Additional offerings in the city include Fabianos, a pizzeria that serves pies large, medium or by the slice in addition to burgers and a classic dessert worth mentioning — tiramisu. The eatery is conjoined with the ever-popular bar and live music venue, The Alamo.

As most locals know and cherish, The Alamo is another example of Newnan’s creative upcycling. The full service bar and popular hangout for

Sprayberry's Barbecue remains the all-time favorite in the county with the original eatery located at 229 Jackson Street and a second location on Highway 34 in Newnan.

all ages was once a movie theater.

Built in 1890, the space has become a hotspot in the city, but maintains and even uses the 100-foot movie screen.

Further restaurant replacements in 2016 include the short-lived Boomers burger restaurant, located at 98 Jackson St. in downtown Newnan.

The eatery has since been replaced with another burger-inspired venue, Casa Burgers. Located in front of the former Newnan Hospital, now University of West Georgia Newnan Campus, Casa has made a home in what was once Hospital Discount Pharmacy. Casa serves classic

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Coweta Living 2016-17 49

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

PHOTOS BY MARK FRITZ

Senoia is home to the family-friendly and eclectically decorated Katie Lou's Cafe, which serves up barbecued pork, beef and chicken.

50 Coweta Living 2016-17

Newnan remains known for its practice of “upcycling,” or repurposing generations-old and even historic buildings into new businesses.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

American fare including hot dogs and fries in addition to a weekly special burger like the recent Crispy Pickle Burger, which includes American and Swiss cheese, fried pickles and a spicy ranch sauce.

The former Rockback Pizza, located at 311 Newnan Crossing Bypass, is soon to be replaced by a Wisconsin-based eatery called Culver’s. This upcoming restaurant is known for frozen custard treats and a specialty burger known as the Butter Burger.

A restaurant venue located at 355 Bullsboro Drive will be reincarnated once again, as the city welcomes a well-known sports bar called Buffalo Wild Wings.

The eatery will offer a few fried favorites along with chicken strips and burgers, doused in a variety of spicy buffalo-flavored sauces.

The location was once Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse, and later was transformed into the popular breakfast buffet, Shoney’s, before being purchased for the soon-tobe sports bar.

In the nearby town of Senoia, Southern Ground Social Club and conjoined restaurant La Mesa Del Sur were closed after four years of service. The venue has opened its doors once again this summer to an eatery founded by actors in AMC’s hit TV show “The Walking Dead.” Norman Reedus and Greg Nicotero are the owners of Nic & Norman’s. Their menu includes gourmet burgers, grilled flatbreads, desserts, and unique cocktails.

Senoia is also home to the family-friendly, southern style eatery, Katie Lou’s Cafe. The restaurant serves slow-smoked barbecue pork, chicken, beef and brisket in addition to seasonal vegetables and made-from-scratch southern desserts. The eclectic venue, located at 70 Main St.

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Nic & Norman's was opened in Senoia in June of 2016 by actor Norman Reedus and producer Greg Nicotero of the AMC series, "The Walking Dead."

in Senoia, seems to be a staple in the area and has recently added made-to-order, old-fashioned breakfast items to the regular menu.

Some things don’t change in Coweta County as one of the longest-running restaurant’s celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2016. Sprayberry’s Barbecue, with two locations in Newnan, remains the all-time favorite in the county with the original eatery at 229 Jackson St., and a second location on Hwy. 34.

When asked about the “secret” to remaining in the limelight for so long, Donald Sprayberry, a thirdgeneration restaurateur answered that, in fact, “there is no secret.”

Donald, who operates the restaurants with his brother Stephen, said “You have to treat your customers and your employees well. It’s not just the product that has made the business successful, it is the community. It is our amazing employees and our loyal customers.”

The Sprayberry legacy began with a now-classic barbecue sandwich sold from the back of Houston Sprayberry’s gas station in downtown Newnan. By 1926, Houston and his wife Mattie Lou were selling enough sandwiches and brunswick stew to close the station and create a restaurant.

The restaurant is known not only for the family recipe of vinegar-based barbecue sauce, but also for the guests the eatery has attracted — and even employed — over the years. In addition to country music superstar Alan Jackson who once waited tables at the original location, politicians have been known to campaign at the local eateries. Sprayberry’s Barbecue has also served a number of entertainers and athletes.

“We are just so happy and so fortunate to be in business for so long,” Donald said. “It’s the county, the community, our customers… I just cannot express how grateful we are to the people in this community. They are the ones who have made Sprayberry’s so special — and successful.” CL

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NEWNAN Sprayberry’s Barbecue 229 Jackson St. • 770-253-4421 (Original location) 1060 Hwy. 34 • 770-253-5080 KNOWN FOR: Pulled pork and beef barbecue, Brunswick stew.

RPM Full Service Pub & Grill 15 Jackson St. • 770-683-1414 KNOWN FOR: Large outdoor patio, classic American fare including burgers, wings.

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Meat ‘N’ Greet 11 Jefferson St. • 770-683-4664 KNOWN FOR: Craft burgers, smoked meats, full-service bar.

Fabiano’s Pizzeria / The Alamo 19 N. Court Square • 770-683-2683 KNOWN FOR: Pizza, hoagies, full service bar.

Redneck Gourmet 11 N. Court Square • 770-251-0092 KNOWN FOR: Deli, hot dogs, counter service.

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Rednexican 2 E. Court Square • 770-683-9545 KNOWN FOR: A unique mix of Southern favorites and Mexican-inspired dishes.

Goldens on the Square 9 E. Court Square • 770-251-4300 KNOWN FOR: Cafeteria-style Southern favorites.

The Cellar at the Firestone 20 Jefferson St. • 770-683-6328 KNOWN FOR: Casual, fine-dining atmosphere, choice steaks and exotic meats.

SENOIA Katie Lou’s Cafe 70 Main St. • 770-599-1362 KNOWN FOR: Homestyle barbecue pork and beef with a variety of homemade sauces.

Senoia Coffee and Cafe 1 Main St. • 770-599-8000 KNOWN FOR: Traditional American fare - serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

www.accessunited.com – Maggie Bowers Coweta Living 2016-17 53

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

A few local favorites...

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY The parking lot of the Coweta County Administration Building was transformed into the very first McDonald’s for filming of “The Founder.” (Newnan Times-Herald File Photo)

The film crews just keep coming.

C Coweta a hot spot for television, movie filming WRITTEN BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL

54 Coweta Living 2016-17

So many movies and television shows have been filmed in Coweta County that it would be nearly impossible to list them all.

“The Walking Dead” began filming in Coweta, primarily in Senoia, in its second season. The seventh season is currently being filmed. And star Norman Reedus and director Greg Nicotero have drawn attention with their restaurant in downtown Senoia called Nic and Norman’s.

Some movies, including “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “Get Low” and “Lawless” were filmed primarily in Coweta.

Many more movies have filmed scenes in the area.

In the past two years, Coweta has been the site of filming of “The Founder,” about McDonald’s, “Felt” starring Liam Neeson and Diane Lane, a pilot for the Hulu series “When the Streetlights Go On,” “Rings” – a sequel to “The Ring,” “In Dubious Battle” starring James Franco and Robert Duvall and directed by Franco and “Insurgent.”

For “The Founder,” which stars Michael Keaton, a replica of the very first McDonald’s was built in the parking lot of the Coweta County Administration Building.

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Other movies filmed in Coweta in the past few years include “Zombieland,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1,” “Dumb and Dumber To,” “The Watsons Go to Birmingham” and “Term Life.”

Filming isn’t anything new in Coweta. “Fried Green Tomatoes” was released in 1991, and remains the most well-known movie to film primarily in Coweta. “Driving Miss Daisy” filmed in Coweta in the late 80s. Downtown Senoia was featured in “Pet Sematary II,” which came out in 1992.

Newnan’s Starcrest nursing home (now Avalon) was where Mrs. Threadgoode lived in “Fried Green Tomatoes” and the parking lot of Winn Dixie (now Food Depot) was the site of the famous Towanda scene. A home in Senoia – often referred to as the “Fried Green Tomatoes house” – was the exterior of the Threadgoode home.

The television series “I’ll Fly Away” was filmed in Newnan in the 90s. In that same time period, the miniseries “Andersonville” and the Kevin Costner and Elijah Wood movie “The War” were filmed locally.

Things dried up in the late 90s, but after the state of Georgia created tax credit incentives for film and television productions in 2005, things started coming

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(Top) Filming took place on Temple Avenue in early 2016 for “Felt,” starring Liam Neeson and Diane Lane. (Times-Herald File Photo) (Middle) Turin’s own Barbie Beach got the Hollywood treatment when former Cowetan Courtney Dixon decided it was the perfect subject for a short film. “Barbie Beach” was accepted for the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. (Photo courtesy Courtney Dixon) (Bottom) The Gin Property development in Senoia was transformed into the walled city of Alexandria for “The Walking Dead.” (Photo courtesy AMC)

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

back. In 2008, the tax credits were enhanced, and the productions really started rolling in.

Coweta, and Senoia in particular, gained an early advantage over other areas of the state because of Riverwood Studios (now Raleigh Studios Atlanta). The film studio, now home to “The Walking Dead,” opened just outside Senoia in 1989.

The studio and the filming that accompanies it have brought changes to Senoia in more ways than one.

Scott Tigchelaar and Paul Lombardi of Riverwood/Raleigh began “The Historic Senoia Project,” which has brought new development to downtown Senoia. There are several new buildings along Main Street that are designed to look as historical as the rest of the town, and “The Gin Property,” a mixed use development at the bottom of Main Street. The new buildings were designed as a “living backlot” – specifically to be used in filming.

The Gin Property has looked a bit odd for the past few years – it’s surrounded by a corrugated metal fence. The housing development is now “Alexandria,” a walled city protected from zombies in “The Walking Dead.”

The AMC television series about a zombie apocalypse is phenomenally popular, and thousands of fans – known as Walker Stalkers – come from all over the world to visit Senoia and the rest of Coweta to watch filming and try to catch a glimpse of the stars. Others come when filming isn’t taking place to check out the many filming sites all over the county.

Though the majority of filming is done in Senoia, other local places – Newnan, Grantville, Haralson and Turin, as well as many roads out in the county – have all gotten their share of the action.

Local entrepreneurs have taken advantage of that interest, and there are tours offered in Senoia, Grantville and Haralson. CL Coweta Living 2016-17 57

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Riverfest, top, and re-enactments at the Brown's Mill Battlefield, below left, are just two of the opportunities that bring tourists – and dollars – into the local community.

T

Tourism Vital to Local Economy WRITTEN BY PAUL SLOBODZIAN

58 Coweta Living 2016-17

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Tourism is a vital piece of the economic puzzle for a lot of cities, counties and countries all across the world, and it plays a major role in the yearly function of Coweta County.

While Coweta is growing rapidly each year, it is still a smaller county in the metroAtlanta area that faces unique challenges with revenue that larger cities do not.

Tray Baggarly, director of event services for Coweta County, and his department work “to attract visitors to the county to visit our attractions, attend events, eat in our restaurants, shop in our retail businesses, stay in our hotels all while enjoying a positive experience here.”

According to the Coweta County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Newnan has experienced a spike in average visitors from April to July each of the past four years, with each month eclipsing 900 visitors and April and July reaching more than 1,000 and 1,100, respectively.

Linda Arnall examines some of the paintings displayed at the Art Walk, a downtown tradition in Newnan.

ust 30 minutes south of Atlanta is a place so charming, so historic, so embracing of the past, yet so welcoming to the future...Coweta County!

Come see the treasures we have...Visit Newnan - the City of Homes and see where country music star Alan Jackson grew up...Shop or take driving tours in the county’s historic districts, visit Dunaway Gardens and plan to spend time at the 3,000 acre Chattahoochee Bend State Park.

But before you set out to Explore Coweta, stop by the Coweta County Convention & Visitors Bureau in the historic courthouse in downtown Newnan and let us help plan your adventures!

627 • www.explorecoweta.com 200 Court Square • Newnan, GA 30263 • 800-826-9382 • 770-254-2 Coweta Living 2016-17 59

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY A Taste of Newnan brings restaurateurs and other food providers to downtown. The event is one of several sponsored by Main Street Newnan.

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Although the numbers from those months do not always directly correlate to tourist revenue, they do show that more people are spending time and money in the community during those months.

“While they [tourists] are here, they are eating in our restaurants, visiting our attractions, purchasing gas, shopping and staying in the hotels,” Baggarly said.

Coweta County has also had numerous movies and TV shows filmed throughout parts of the county including “The Walking Dead,” “Zombieland,” “Mockingjay” – the third movie in the “Hunger Games” trilogy – and more. Films and productions like these have put Coweta on the map and created a larger influx of outside tourism and revenue. There are also many natural and historical landmarks and attractions to draw in people with varying likes and interests.

“Getting people here is the key to our marketing efforts as a whole,” Baggarly said, “not just from the CVB, but from Main Street Newnan, the historical societies, businesses, the municipalities and other organizations. [That] is what attracts people to Coweta County.

Once we get them here, we all offer them opportunities to experience something different. We have so much to offer.

“We have one of the largest state parks in the state in Chattahoochee Bend State Park. We have Civil War museums and the Brown’s Mill Battlefield. We have historic home tours, Oak Hill Cemetery tours, the Lewis Grizzard and Erskine Caldwell museums in Moreland, Dunaway Gardens, McRitchie-Hollis Museum, Male Academy Museum, African American Heritage Museum, and more.”

Carol Chancey, the owner of Cloudland Canyon Entertainment, works to develop strategic areas for tourism in Moreland. She said that

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Numerous sites throughout Coweta County attract "Walking Dead" fans.

The series has filmed in Senoia and Grantville and at several rural spots.

Moreland offers strong draws for people wanting to see a little “flavor of the South” with a representation of small-town southern life.

“Coweta benefits from tourism.

They [tourists] buy groceries, souvenirs. For every penny that’s spent, we get it many times over,” said Chancey.

The county also offers a variety of special events throughout the year, like Taste of Newnan and Light Up Senoia, to help get through slower months and maximize efforts during peak periods.

Coweta County faces peaks and valleys with tourism each year, but Baggarly and his staff work to ensure that the county is equipped to benefit from each month and season.

“It just boils down to the seasons of the year when we see the higher volume of people and the special events that are held,” said Baggarly. “With the months of January and February being the lowest average totals, we work to plan events that bring people out during that time.” CL

Each and every home designed with the spaciousness to stretch out, relax and enjoy good times with family or friends. v Wooded surroundings with a tree on every lot create a tranquil setting with an idyllic country feel. v Porch-lined streets convey a sense of nostalgic charm in West Georgia. v Neighborhood playground to delight the youngest residents. v Individually-metered utilities for energy efficiency and affordability. v Private, two-car driveways and the convenience of individual mailboxes in front of each home. v Included lawn maintenance for carefree living. v Pets welcome and dogs enjoy their own park to run and play. v Gazebo, recreational/picnic area and acres of walking trails to explore.

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2 or 3 BEDROOM HOMES from $79,900Coweta Living 2016-17 61

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Housing market improving in Coweta WRITTEN BY KANDICE BELL | PHOTOGRAPHED BY MARK FRITZ

62 Coweta Living 2016-17

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

The housing market is steadily improving in Coweta County.

New subdivisions and new houses are popping up all over Coweta, which is pleasant news to many since the housing and economic crash of 2008.

“Well, I’ll tell you what, I think we’re doing really well,” said Chip Barron with Lindsey’s Realtors. “One problem we’ve had is low inventory, but listings have been up this past year, and sales are increasing each month.”

Barron said the pricing of housing has also increased.

“The median sales price has gotten up to $209,000,” said Barron. “That’s up 13.3 percent from last year and that’s stronger than the state figure. The median sales price in Georgia is $189,000. So, we’re doing better than the state’s doing.

“We still have that small town feel, but we’ve grown into a busy developing area, and we still have some country areas. We offer just about anything.”

— Chip Barron

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A real estate agent is licensed to practice by the state.

REALTORS® are licensed to practice by the state, too!

They are also members of the National Association of REALTORS® and are bound by a Code of Ethics. They have pledged to protect and promote the interests of their customers and clients by providing competent and ethical service for all parties involved in the real estate transaction.

Only REALTORS® pledge to abide by a Code of Ethics, and only REALTORS® are held accountable for their professional behavior. In addition, they are active in their communities through their involvement with the local Board of REALTORS® and strive to protect private property rights.

Whether you are buying, selling or leasing residential or commercial property, seek the services of a REALTOR®, not just a real estate agent.

Look for the REALTOR® ‘R’:

Georgia Association of

REALTORS®

Newnan-Coweta Board of REALTORS®

41 Farmer St., Ste. 101, Newnan, GA 30263 770-683-0990 Office • 770-683-0991 Fax 64 Coweta Living 2016-17 www.ncbor.net

“In 2008 and 2009, we lost a lot of builders and developers.

We are starting to see some interest in land development.

I’ve seen several new construction projects in Stonebridge on Lower Fayetteville. There are a lot of new subdivisions because the demand is here again. We’ve had the low inventory problem for the last two years. We still have a lot more inventory than some people, such as Peachtree City, which is what I’m told,” Barron said.

“We’re just lucky to be where we are. We’re in a great area near I- 85 and we’re in a pretty area,” he said. “We still have that small town feel, but we’ve grown into a busy developing area and we still have some country areas. We offer just about anything. Newnan and Coweta are growing really fast, with the growing healthcare and the new college. Newnan is on the map.

People want to move here.

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“Housing is on the rise and we’re extremely busy. I really think we would be even busier, but it’s an election year and people are waiting to see which way the wind is going to blow.”

Barron also said the movie industry has played a role in people locating to Coweta.

“The Senoia area is really strong,” said Barron. “Movies and TV programs being filmed there has put Senoia on the map.”

Barron added that houses are selling pretty quickly and closing anywhere from 30 to 90 days.

“I fully predict we’ll have some really good years ahead,” added Barron. “We’re six years into recovery and have a ways to go, but I’m very optimistic about the housing in Newnan and Coweta County.”

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www.mcguiresbuildings.com 770-502-7007 Coweta Living| 2016-17 65

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Arbor Springs Plantation off of Highway 29 in Newnan has new construction in its neighborhood. The subdivision offers resort style living and custom built homes.

Coweta County

BUILDING PERMITS 1996 - 2015

United Bank Residential Construction Specialist Yetta Richardson also said that more builders were interested in Coweta County.

“The builders today are saying there’s a scarcity of lots or land,” said Richardson. “The reason they’re saying that is because they’re pretty much trying to be in that one area in the Northgate District versus in the city. There’s not a whole lot of dirt in the city and many people want to live in the Northgate district for educational purposes.”

Richardson noted more expensive housing is being built.

“There’s room for growth, but there isn’t a lot of affordable product in the market,” added Richardson. “Anything greater than $500,000 is in great supply. Builders are building at a higher price, because of the cost of dirt and the cost of labor.

Labor is very expensive, because it’s so scarce and you may pay $60,000 just for … the land.

“We have very little new inventory in $120,000 or $150,000 price range. We have more resales in that market, and investors took a lot of that product.

Demand is picking up, but we just don’t have enough affordable housing for the average salary person.

There’s a need for more affordable housing in Coweta.” CL

City of Newnan

BUILDING PERMITS 1991 - 2015

Single-family Multi-family Multi-family units Commercial

66 Coweta Living 2016-17

Dedicated to treating cancer.

And only cancer.

Patricia Thompson, MD Medical Director of the Lung Center

At Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), treating cancer isn’t one thing we do—it’s the only thing we do. With state-of-the-art technologies and precision cancer treatment, the experts at our Centers for Advanced Oncology develop thorough treatment plans for our patients. Plans that not only attack the cancer, but also offer evidence-based therapies to help reduce side effects.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, or are already undergoing treatment, and are unsure about your options, talk to the experts at CTCA® in Newnan. Our team can provide a treatment plan customized to fight your specific cancer and help you get back to living your life.

Located in Newnan

cancercenter.com/experts • 888.845.2471 ©2016 Rising Tide

Coweta Living 2016-17 67

COMMUNITY

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Local community thrives as metro Atlanta's 'healthcare destination' Piedmont Healthcare and Cancer Treatment Centers of America, both located in Newnan, continue

to thrive in Coweta, and the two facilities’ continued growth and expansion have brought revenue, employment and a number of medical specialists to the county.

Along with investments by Ansley Park Rehabilitation and HealthSouth, the county now firmly holds the reputation of being the primary healthcare destination in southeast Atlanta.

Piedmont Newnan Hospital Piedmont Newnan Hospital opened a new facility in Newnan in May 2012, offering the county and surrounding areas the latest in health care technology, treatments and patient amenities.

The non-profit hospital facility is located on Poplar Road and provides extensive care to locals, visitors and neighbors within its 364,000-square-foot structure.

The hospital, which replaced aging facilities across town, was built to the highest standards in environmental

WRITTEN BY MAGGIE BOWERS

68 Coweta Living 2016-17

COMMUNITY PHOTO COURTESY OF PIEDMONT NEWNAN

Piedmont Newnan Neonatal Intensive Care Unit staff and physicians pose with Emily Dao who was born at 30 weeks gestation. The baby was cared for in the local hospital’s NICU for 72 days, along with mother, Nga Nguyen (pictured below), who suffered a severe placental rupture while visiting Georgia with her husband.

Piedmont Newnan Hospital began the expansion of its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to include equipment needed for the care of babies born before 32 weeks gestation in March 2015.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BELLA BABY PHOTOGRAPHY

Coweta Living 2016-17 69

COMMUNITY

Piedmont Newnan Hospital, located on Poplar Road, was built in 2012 to replace an aging facility in Newnan. The hospital continues to expand a variety of services offered to the community.

and energy-efficiency design and has achieved the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

The local hospital began the expansion of its Women’s Services department in 2015 after receiving a Certificate of Need for a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The department includes four beds dedicated to the care of infants born before 32 weeks gestation, as well as those born with critical illness.

Before the Level 3 NICU meant that babies who required more specialized care had to be transferred to other facilities. This practice often forced families to travel up to an hour to visit and assist in the care of their sick or premature newborn.

Piedmont Newnan now provides highly-specialized services to newborns to be cared for closer to home and with their families.

The local facility is staffed with over 300 physicians and provides 24-hour emergency care in addition 70 Coweta Living 2016-17

to medical, surgical and diagnostic services including heart care, sleep services, women’s care and wound and hyperbaric care. Piedmont Newnan also includes an advanced cancer center that offers therapy, disease management, prevention and a complete program devoted to cancer wellness and post-cancer support.

Piedmont Newnan was recently awarded the Women’s Choice Award as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America The Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southeastern was opened in Newnan in 2012. The facility quickly became one of only four hospitals in the state of Georgia to receive a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the only metroAtlanta hospital to receive the honor.

The specialized treatment facility focuses primarily on patient-care

PHOTO BY MAGGIE BOWERS

and practices in the area of complex cancers. Upon choosing Newnan for CTCA Southeastern’s location, hospital officials agreed to a regulation of accepting no more than 35 percent of patients from Georgia.

Officials, including CTCA Newnan Chief Operating Officer David Kent, feared the original classification of a destination healthcare facility would stunt the local treatment center’s future growth and applied for a Certificate of Need (CON) to reclassify as an acute-care facility.

The change would have allowed CTCA Newnan to offer treatment to more local patients in need.

The CON was denied, however, and created a bit of controversy in the county. Many locals assumed the hospital hoped to become a direct competitor to the nearby Piedmont Newnan. This was not the case, according to Kent.

“The classification is an important distinction,” Kent said in the midst of the controversy early in 2016. Kent noted that CTCA Newnan would

COMMUNITY

Cancer Treatment Centers of America began calling Newnan home in 2012. The specialized treatment facility focuses primarily on patient care and practices in the area of complex cancers.

not be competing directly with the already-established comprehensive care services offered by nearby healthcare centers. “We don’t have any intentions of treating anyone except cancer patients. It is what we do.”

According to Kent, the hospital will continue “to build a sustainable business,” and will undoubtedly continue to offer cancer patients, in Georgia and beyond, the best treatment options available.

Ansley Park Health and Rehabilitation Located at 450 Newnan Lakes Blvd., off Newnan Crossing Bypass, the Ansley Park facility in Newnan provides a whole new experience for those seeking rehabilitation therapy.

The facility offers only private rooms for live-in patients needing long- or short-term therapy. Care will also be offered on an outpatient basis.

Private rooms and other living, dining, relaxing and therapy areas

were professionally designed to give Ansley Park a luxurious ambiance similar to that found in the finest hotels. Decor includes several framed photos of Newnan in years gone by.

The facility offers planned activities and events, a wide range of social activities and even pet therapy visits.

Meals are prepared by an executive chef using only the finest, freshest foods, officials said. The site is beautifully landscaped and all rooms have a nice exterior view. There is even an on-site, professionally staffed beauty salon.

The heart of Ansley Park is the rehabilitation wing, known as Town Square Rehab. Town Square mimics real-life environments to help the patients prepare to return to their home environment and community safely. Facilities available at Town Square include a physical and occupational therapy gym that offers treatment for pain and muscle weakness as well as NuStep

PHOTO BY MAGGIE BOWERS

equipment for strengthening and physical exercise.

HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital The site for HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, located at 2101 E. Newnan Crossing Blvd., represents a $22 million investment in the community.

HealthSouth operates in 28 states and Puerto Rico, and, according to Linda Wilder, regional president of HealthSouth Southeast, officials hope to expand on the Newnan property in the coming years.

The hospital provides patients with access to specialized rehabilitation programs and innovative equipment and technology — including electronic medical records.

Coweta Samaritan Clinic One of the most valuable assets of the healthcare landscape is the Coweta Samaritan Clinic (CSC), a free clinic for those uninsured and underinsured in Coweta County. The clinic is located in the former Coweta Coweta Living 2016-17 71

COMMUNITY

Volunteer RN Bonnie Umberger works with Dr. Kay Crosby, founder of the Coweta Samaritan Clinic in Newnan.

Together, sponsors, community donations and contributions and skilled medical specialists allow the clinic to function as the primary care facility for indigent — uninsured and medically underserved — patients in the county.

County Health Department facilities on Jackson Street near downtown Newnan.

The CSC was founded by Dr. Kay Crosby who left a private practice of internal medicine in 2008 with the hope of bringing a free clinic to her hometown of Newnan. With the support of the Coweta County Hospital Authority, the building, located at 137 Jackson St., became the clinic’s home. Newnan Hospital Foundation continues to provide a portion of the clinic’s operating funds while Piedmont Newnan contributes free lab and radiology services.

Together, sponsors, community 72 Coweta Living 2016-17

donations and contributions and skilled medical specialists allow the clinic to function as the primary care facility for indigent — uninsured and medically underserved — patients in the county.

“This isn’t about me,” Crosby insisted. “This event and the clinic is all about the community, our sponsors and the volunteers who help make the clinic successful in providing care to the people of Coweta.”

According to Crosby, the most recent additions to CSC services include a monthly clinic provided by the Cancer Treatment Centers of

America in Newnan, dental services

by Complete Dental Arts and the installation of electronic medical records in a system called Epic, which will streamline patient files between Piedmont Newnan Hospital and CSC. Another benefit to the county is that along with dental care, gynecology and a range of primary medical care offerings, the clinic also serves to offset the amount of traffic in local emergency rooms. The clinic provides care to those who might otherwise seek the emergency room for its lack of up-front costs.

CL

We make a Living by what we get, but we make a Life by what we

Give.

— Winston Churchill

immediate gifts, bequests, Giving through endowments and volunteering to back support our nonprofit agencies.

What’s Raised in Coweta, Stays in Coweta.

www.CowetaFoundation.org • 770-253-1833 info@cowetafoundation.org

COMMUNITY Peter Tudhope, Newnan’s first artist-in-residence, filled the studio space in the Gray Cottage with “sketches” of his surroundings in downtown Newnan.

WRITTEN BY MAGGIE BOWERS

74 Coweta Living 2016-17

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Local community offers temporary home to visiting artists

Every small town has a hidden gem

PHOTOS BY JEFF LEO

— or, perhaps, a few gems.

The city of Newnan, in the bustling center of Coweta County, includes a small cottage that is often overlooked. The little house is nestled behind one of the city’s oldest homes and was “recreated” to offer a nook for unique and creative minds.

The one-bedroom bungalow is located at the edge of the College-Temple neighborhood in downtown Newnan, just next door to the Newnan-Coweta

Coweta Living 2016-17 75

COMMUNITY Historical Society’s McRitchie-Hollis Museum. Named for its original owner, longtime Coweta Clerk of Superior Court Wallace Gray, the Gray Cottage offers a respite and temporary home for visiting artists, sculptors, writers and poets.

The idea is said to have come from Newnan Artist-In-Residence board member Millie Gosch. Gosch is a well-known plein air artist who noted that, throughout her career, she has often traveled to paint. Like many artists, Gosch sometimes leaves the familiar behind to “not be bothered by the daily grind.” She noted that a place away from home can provide inspiration and energy.

After some restoration and “updating,” the Gray Cottage was opened to the public for viewing in August 2015, just one week before Newnan’s first guest was scheduled to arrive.

Peter Tudhope, a 48-yearold painter from Kilmarnock, 76 Coweta Living 2016-17

Painter Ken DeWaard, a lover of interior spaces, found the McRitchie-Hollis Museum an inspiring subject matter for works he completed during his stay as artist-in-residence in Newnan.

DeWaard

Scotland, made his first trip to the United States in September 2015, and took up short-term residence in the Gray Cottage.

During his four-week stay, Tudhope created a body of work based on his experiences and observations of the Coweta area.

As part of the Artist-In-Residence program agreement, Tudhope gave back to the local community by

offering painting demonstrations and workshops and participated in Newnan’s downtown Art Walk, a showcase of both local businesses and artists.

As a final hurrah, and in what has become an artist-in-residence tradition, Tudhope offered to the public a solo show to display the works created and inspired by his visit to Newnan.

COMMUNITY PHOTOS BY MAGGIE BOWERS

The Gray Cottage, now approaching the one-year anniversary of its debut in August 2015, has been the temporary home to five artists including Ben Taylor, a screenwriter and actor who was a resident throughout the month of December 2015.

Shortly after Taylor, painter Ken DeWaard visited Newnan from Wisconsin and explored the small town through his craft in February 2016. In March, B.H. Fairchild, a poet, author and writer who was raised in the small towns of Texas

and Kansas, shared his wisdom with the local community.

The most recent artist to participate in the local residency program was a Phoenix-based sculptor and installation artist, Christina Cassano.

Cassano was offered a residency

by Artist-In-Residence program board members in order to complete a commissioned installation piece by the nearby University of West Georgia, a Carroll County-based university with a newly-established Newnan campus.

Cassano agreed to design and install a wall sculpture for the new, local campus and spent much of her time in the Gray Cottage completing the large piece.

The artist’s work, though abstract, reflected Cassano’s interests in both human biology and science.

These interests stemmed from a tragic accident she sustained at age 30, which led to a number of health problems and an eventual hip replacement. In her research about her own body and how to heal, Cassano began to explore advancing Coweta Living 2016-17 77

COMMUNITY

PHOTOS BY MAGGIE BOWERS

Artist Christine Cassano spent the majority of her stay in Newnan’s Gray Cottage completing an installation piece commissioned by the nearby University of West Georgia.

78 Coweta Living 2016-17

technology and its relationship to modern medicine.

“My work, in short, is an exploration,” Cassano explained during an interview about her work and local residency. “I am fascinated by interdependent biological systems and their relationships to external technology.”

Cassano noted that during her short stay in Newnan, she was drawn to the unique community and Newnan’s deep-rooted history. In particular, the artist enjoyed the close proximity of the Gray Cottage to the historic McRitchie-Hollis Museum.

“Just like with memories, they can be small, vague and distant, but they are the nucleus of something larger,” Cassano said. “I feel like that about this building. And, that has been my experience in this community as an artist.”

Newnan’s Artist-In-Residence program will maintain the Gray Cottage, which belongs to the city of Newnan, and will provide a stipend for up to two visiting artists each year, according to board member and local art instructor Bette Hickman.

Coweta businesses and other local groups and programs will sponsor additional artists throughout the year, allowing many creative and inspiring visitors to explore and enjoy the community and all of its many hidden gems. CL

COMMUNITY

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PHOTO BY CLAY NEELY

No shortage of entertainment in Coweta

With a thriving downtown square in Newnan, a small town dedicated to the filming industry and an emphasis on a popular TV series in Senoia, and a nearby state park offering year-round outdoor activities, Coweta County offers a long list of “what to do” for all ages.

Locals and visitors alike have celebrated small-town living for more than a century in Coweta’s central city of Newnan. The city offers a number of traditions in the downtown Court Square in addition to honoring its roots with local museums and tourist-friendly historic sites.

Hosted by Main Street Newnan, Market Day is part of downtown on the first Saturday of every month from April through December. The market showcases a variety of handmade, homemade and homegrown products created by local artisans, artists and farmers. Goods available for purchase include fresh produce, honey jams and jellies, salsa, pottery, art, leather products, baskets and flowers.

“Market Day is one of my favorite things in town,” said Main Street Newnan Manager Courtney Harcourt. “There are nearly 30 dedicated vendors and services and even entertainment at the local market each month.”

WRITTEN BY MAGGIE BOWERS Coweta Living 2016-17 79

COMMUNITY

“Market Day is one of my favorite things in town.

There are nearly 30 dedicated vendors and services and even entertainment at the local market each month.”

— Courtney Harcourt

Local artists like Jessica Holt offer a variety of handmade and homemade products at Newnan’s downtown Market Day, a favorite shopping opportunity for many Cowetans.

Downtown Newnan boasts several additional events occurring monthly and annually in the city’s downtown area including the Taste of Newnan in which local eateries offer samples of dishes to the public; Summer WinedUp, an event that includes businesses opening late to offer samples of wine and snacks to shoppers; and an Artist Walk, which allows the public to both shop and admire the talent of Coweta County artists as they work and demonstrate both on the sidewalks and in hosting businesses.

The Newnan-Coweta Historical Society is the main source for locals and guests exploring the county’s 80 Coweta Living 2016-17

history, culture and art. Jeff Bishop, the society’s executive director, works to offer interesting and continually changing programming and exhibits in the three societyrun museums, the McRitchie-Hollis Museum, located at 74 Jackson Street, the Male Academy Museum at 30 Temple avenue and the Train Depot at 60 East Broad Street.

“Our exhibits are constantly evolving, from World War II to the history of black schools to ladies’ lingerie. We have a little bit for everyone, from adults to kids to families,” said Bishop.

Newnan is also home to a non-

PHOTO BY SARA MOORE

profit theater group which has been entertaining audiences for more than 30 years. The company produces up to 10 shows each year for audiences of all ages. The theater is comprised solely of volunteers, including directors, actors, and backstage assistants.

Newnan Theatre Company (NTC) is located on First Avenue in Newnan and offers entertainment, education and community involvement. In addition to comedic and dramatic productions, NTC offers improvisational comedy performances, interactive murder mystery evenings, special events and

PHOTO BY JEFF LEO

theater camps for children.

In the nearby city of Tyrone, The Legacy Theatre is a professional, for-profit organization with actors who often travel nationally to perform at the local theater.

The local theater also offers two training programs that offer opportunities to young performers, including Legacy Studios and Legacy Dance. The Legacy Theatre is located at 1175 Senoia Road, Suite C in Tyrone.

In south Fulton County, Serenbe Playhouse offers a feature unique to modern-day performances, but original to the origins of theater. All Playhouse productions are performed outdoors by repurposing existing structures, using nature as props, and using as much natural light as possible.

Tourists and locals alike find the nearby city of Senoia to be both an escape from the buzz of a busy downtown, to the ideal place in which to be entertained — or, at least, learn about the entertainment industry. Senoia is paradise to fans of AMC’s hit show “The Walking Dead.” With recognizable streets on which the show was filmed, and a themed-restaurant and gift shop, TWD followers flock to the small town. The city even has its own version of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with plaques showing the dozens of TV shows and movies shot there in the last few years.

Coweta is also home to Chattahoochee Bend State Park, a 2,910-acre tract of wilderness in the northwest portion of the county. The park is a haven for paddlers, campers and hikers in addition to hosting several family-friendly outdoor activities for all ages.

Picnic shelters at the park can be rented for birthday parties, reunions and other gatherings, and the nature preserve is dog-friendly — making Chattahoochee Bend State Park an ideal entertaining space for the entire family.

Coweta has a number of bars, restaurants and movie

theaters for those who prefer the county’s nightlife.

In Newnan, The Alamo is located on the west side of the square, and is easily recognizable by its classic movie theater sign above the entrance. In fact, The Alamo was once a theater but has since been converted into a music venue and bar, and it is paired with Fabiano’s Pizzeria next door. In addition to live music, The Alamo regularly hosts Texas Hold ‘Em poker, trivia and karaoke nights.

Coweta is home to several additional bars that offer live music and events, including the Brickhouse Grille and Tavern on Hwy 34, the Corner Tavern at Newnan Crossing Bypass and Twilight Bar and Grill on Raymond Hill Road.

The county is also a popular place for movie theaters, with three located in the county. The Regal Georgian Stadium 14 can be found in Ashley Park, a popular shopping center, and Carmike 10 is on Newnan Station Drive off of Hwy 34. Carmike 10 shares an entertainment sector with Junction Lanes, located next door, which offers bowling, glow-in-the-dark miniature golf and an arcade. Finally, NCG Cinemas is located near Fischer Crossing in Sharpsburg. All three theaters offer both regular and 3D movies. CL

Providing entertainment to Newnan and Coweta county for nearly 40 years 2016 - 2017 Season Moonlight & Magnolias ...................................... September 1-4, 8-11, 2016 Farndale Murder Mystery ......... September 29-October 2, October 6-9, 2016 The Addams Family ........................................... October 20-23, 27-30, 2016 The Pillowman ............................................... November 10-13, 17-20, 2016 A Christmas Carol ................................................ December 1-4, 8-11, 2016 Santaland Diaries ......................................................December 14-18, 2016 One Slight Hitch ..................................................... February 2-5, 9-12, 2017 Godspell ................................................................. March 9-12, 16-19, 2017 Boeing, Boeing ........................................................ April 20-23, 27-30, 2017 Steel Magnolias .......................................................May 11-14, 18-21, 2017

Season Tickets On Sale Now!!!

24 1st Ave, Newnan, GA 30263 (770) 683-6282 • www.newnantheatre.org

Coweta Living 2016-17 81

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Downtown Newnan boasts several events occurring monthly and annually in the city’s downtown area including the Summer WinedUp, an event that includes local businesses opening late to offer samples of wine and snacks to local shoppers.

COMMUNITY

r ive

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ROSCOE

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To Carrollton

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Riverside Park

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Dunaway Gardens

Boat Access

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Chattahoochee Bend State Park

SARGENT PARK

Boat Access, Camping and Hiking

Newnan Country Club

ARNCO PARK

JAC WELCOME COMMUNITY CENTER

COWETA CO. REC. DEPT. ASA M POWELL EXPO CENTER

FR

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ST MILLARD FARMER INDUSTRIAL BLVD

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University of West Georgia

Male Academy Carnegie Library

CLAY WOOD COMMUNITY CENTER

KS

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Ashley Park H

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Historic Courthouse

4TH STREET CARL MILLER PARK

BIG POPLAR RD

Th Per V T

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To Franklin

Battle of Brown’s Mill Historic Site

Powers Crossroads

Orchard Golf Clu

Coweta Co. Fairgrounds & Conference Center

Erskine Caldwell Museum Hometown Heritage Museum

GRANTVILLE PARK

COWETA HEARD RD

GRANTVILLE BALLFIELDS LARSON PARK

To Columbus

82 Coweta Living 2016-17

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To Atlanta

L PA

COLLIN

ME TTO

SWOR

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-TY RO NE RD Canongate I Golf Club

Arbor Springs Golf & Resort

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Canongate on White Oak

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Hills ub

To Peachtree City & Fayetteville

Cancer Treatment Centers of America

he Centre for rforming and Visual Arts & The Newnan Centre

Piedmont Newnan Hospital

J WENDELL WHITLOCK RECREATION PARK

Parks Golf Points of Interest

ANDREW BAILEY BALL PARK

Canongate at Summergrove

POPLAR RD

HUNTER PARK COMPLEX

LEROY JOHNSON PARK

EAST COWETA COMMUNITY CENTER

Senoia Area Historical Society Buggy Shop Museum SENOIA CITY PARK

Raleigh Studios Atlanta

To Griffin

Coweta Living 2016-17 83

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Mark Puckett offers a welcome at the visitor center When folks stop at the visitor center at the historic Coweta County Courthouse, they are likely to be greeted

by Mark Puckett.

Puckett will offer them brochures or a map, answer questions about restaurants and lodging — and sometimes give a tour of the upper floor courtroom. Puckett not only knows about Coweta’s rich heritage, he is part of it.

His Puckett ancestors settled in what is now Moreland in 1832, when Coweta County was just a few years old.

The South Coweta town was, for a time, known as Puckett Station, and an annual festival in Moreland preserves the name.

Puckett himself grew up in Newnan. He attended Berry College and then got a job with the state.

“I worked for the state Department of Agriculture for 34 years,” he said, but his retirement in 2010 was not particularly restful. “I almost went crazy sitting at home.”

WRITTEN BY W. WINSTON SKINNER | PHOTOGRAPHED BY BETH NEELY

84 Coweta Living 2016-17

COMMUNITY

Mark Puckett greets visitors at the welcome center in the Coweta County Courthouse with a friendly smile — and lots of ideas about what the county has to offer for both tourists and residents.

Puckett and his wife, Joy, have three grown children. One of his daughters heard there was a job opening for someone at the welcome center, and Puckett wasted no time applying.

“I’ve been here ever since. I love my job. I’d almost do it for free,” he said.

Puckett and the other staff and volunteers meet people from all over the world. So far this year, the visitors center has greeted people from Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, Holland, Japan, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa and Vietnam. Residents of most U.S. states have also stopped by for information.

A husband and wife from Russia

stopped by “on their way back to the airport” because they were interested in “Murder in Coweta County.” They bought a copy of the movie. “Somewhere over in Russia, a couple is watching ‘Murder in Coweta County.’”

Fans of “The Walking Dead” also are apt to turn up at the courthouse — looking for directions to sites associated with the television series.

Many visitors are local residents — newcomers seeking information for themselves or folks trying to make plans to entertain visitors from elsewhere.

“I meet interesting people here every day,” Puckett said.

Interesting people can ask some

interesting questions. The most unusual request Puckett has received was from a woman who was looking for an Avon representative in the local area. “That had nothing to do with tourism, but I found her an Avon representative.”

School groups and others come to the architectural jewel on the court square. Troy Cornwell brings his classes from Newnan High School.

“We have Cub Scouts. I give them the grand tour of the courtroom,” Puckett said.

He said he also loves working with Tray Baggarly, who directs the county’s tourism efforts, and Lorraine LaRue. “They’re both super.” CL Coweta Living 2016-17 85

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More and more, local pastors are female

The Rev. Susan Haynes, expressing joy at the baptismal font in the sanctuary at Newnan Presbyterian Church, is the first woman to lead one of Newnan’s downtown congregations.

The pastoral archetype is a man in a black, clerical collared shirt standing behind a pulpit — at least, the one from the 1950s is.

Since then, there has been a surge in women breaking this stereotype and leading churches of their own. Several women in the greater Coweta area are following their call to serve, lead and break stereotypes in their spiritual domains. Among them are Betty Jean Bowers, Sarah Felix and Susan Haynes.

Betty Jean “BJ” Bowers A key component to pastoring is love for any and everyone.

A mother to 10 children, grandmother to 13 and greatgrandmother to two, the Rev. Betty Jean Bowers is

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The Rev. Betty Jean Bowers is enjoying the opportunity to pastor. She was recently appointed to serve two rural United Methodist churches.

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The Rev. Sarah Felix is the first woman who led a Coweta congregation to build a new building. “I’ve felt a call from God my entire life,” she says.

definitely not running short on love in her life.

Bowers received her pastoral credentials from the Candler School of Theology in Atlanta. Although just completing her official title earlier this year, Bowers never let a prior lack of credentials keep her from serving in her church her whole life.

“I grew up in the Baptist church, and 30 years ago, no one would have ever thought about letting a woman become a pastor. There are still people in the church who don’t understand [the concept of] female pastors,” she said. “I knew back then God was leading me to work, so for many years it was just teaching Sunday school.”

In 2004, Bowers became a lay speaker, allowing her to speak and lecture in front of any Methodist church, but she still felt something was missing from the equation.

“People have always kind of turned to me for advice and guidance outside of the church setting,” she said. “As times have changed, I could now see what God was really leading me to do — pastoral care.”

Bowers decided it was time to leave her job as an accountant to pursue her calling and enrolled at Candler. While many theology schools or seminaries are usually male-dominated, Bowers said her classes were a refreshing change of pace.

The Rev. Leigh Campbell-Taylor, associate pastor at Newnan Presbyterian, shares pastoral duties with Susan Haynes.

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“A change has really started to grow. There is still some disparity between solo and senior pastors as being male over female, but it is just going to take time to change that model.”

— Rev. Susan Hayes

Sarah Felix Leadership plays an active role in running a church, and especially so in building a church.

The Rev. Sarah Felix of Faith International Christian Center has led in ministry for 40 years now, with no intent to quit inspiring and evangelizing any time soon. Initially a nurse in Atlanta, Felix followed her call from God to Beulah Heights Bible College in Atlanta.

“I’ve felt a call from God my entire life to become a pastor,” she said. “I’ve always been the type of person, regardless of what others say, to want to obey God.” Felix, originally from Athens, Ga., moved to Newnan from Atlanta 14 years ago. She has been the pastor at Faith International since its inception 15 years ago.

Although she grew up in the Pentecostal church, she made the switch to Faith-based after listening to Faithbased ministers and sermons.

Faith International began by Felix renting out a building on Taylor Street in Newnan. As the church body continued to grow, so did the church building. When knocking down walls and renting more buildings no longer became a financially or spiritually healthy option, Felix turned to God for instruction on how to advance.

“He told me I would build the church from the ground

Sunday Worship - 8:30 a.m. & 10:55 a.m.

CONNECT Contemporary Worship - 11:00 a.m.

Children’s Church & Nursery • Sunday School - 9:45 a.m.

33 Greenville St., Newnan, GA Serving Newnan & Coweta County since 1828 Dr. Stuart Greene, Senior Pastor

770-253-7400 • www.newnanfumc.org 90 Coweta Living 2016-17

up, that this new building would be a pipeline of information for the congregation,” she said.

Through this spiritual guidance, Felix bought land on Highway 34 and broke ground on the new home for Faith International. In doing so, Felix became the first female minister in Coweta County to break ground on a church building. She received the title “Trailblazer” and the keys to the city of Newnan in 2006.

In May 2008, the congregation poured the foundation for the current building, and by October of that year, the parish held its first service at its new home. She also received her doctorate that same year from the North Carolina School of Theology.

Felix’s accolades don’t stop there.

She is regularly featured on local television channels in Newnan and LaGrange in her programs “Advancing the Kingdom” and “Infallible Word.” She also oversees the Humble Hearts Worship Center in Pell City, Ala., as well as leading Sarah’s Daughters, her mission to “train queens and princesses in the kingdom of God” and ministering to Newnan’s battered women’s shelter. On March 20 of this year, she was ordained as an apostle in the Faith-based church.

With Felix’s relentless will to lead her congregation, Faith International continues to grow.

“We just signed papers with the bank to add another building, a two-story building, to our location for the teens and for a daycare. We really want to continue the church mission of ‘advancing the kingdom of God.’” Susan Haynes Patience, besides being a fruit of the spirit, is a reminder that in time, life will lead you where you are meant to be.

For the Rev. Susan Haynes, this wasn’t until she was in her mid-forties that she finally answered her spiritual calling from God to become a minister. Since being a teen, Haynes has felt a call from God to serve the church.

She initially received her bachelor’s degree in

Haynes feels a strong call from God to go fulltime into interim ministry, a facet she describes as a “niche in ministry for Presbyterians.” She will continue at Newnan Presbyterian until it finds a permanent pastor.

“I’m delighted that the first interim position I had has been at Newnan Presbyterian,” Haynes said. “This is now a full-time job for me, meeting the calls and emergencies of the parishioners. It’s like being a medical doctor for the spirit.” CL

loving people…sharing christ…transforming lives

SUNDAY Sunday School – 9:30 AM Celebration Worship – 10:45 AM

WEDNESDAY Pastor’s Bible Study – 6:30 PM AWANA – 6:30 PM / Youth Classes – 6:30 PM

Dr. Phil Pilgrim, Pastor Visit our website: www.ubcnewnan.com 311 Smokey Road • Newnan, GA 30263

ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH WELCOMES YOU! Please join us for worship: Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Christian Formation for all ages at 9:30 a.m., September through May.

We are a community of faith committed to the worship and service of God. Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

The Rev. Allan Sandlin, Rector 576 Roscoe Road ∙ Newnan, GA 30263 (770) 253-4264 • www.stpaulsnewnan.org

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business administration from Georgia State University and went on to have several entrepreneurial jobs, including owning her own hardware store.

“At the end of the 1990s, however, I had a major life change and decided to pursue my heart’s desire: pastoring,” she said.

Haynes enrolled at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur to pursue her ministerial career.

Haynes has noticed in her subscribed Presbyterian denomination an increasing rate of female pastors. In her classes at Columbia, she described a 60:40 male-to-female ratio.

“A change has really started to grow. There is still some disparity between solo and senior pastors as being male over female, but it is just going to take time to change that model,” she said.

In January 2004, Haynes became associate pastor at Northminster Presbyterian Church in Roswell.

After serving there for 12 years, she left in January 2016 to become the interim senior pastor at Newnan Presbyterian Church, where she is currently serving while the church searches for a full-time senior pastor.

“Interim ministers serve the church in the time between installed pastors. This gives the church time to thoroughly search for a new pastor,” she said. “My focus is on helping the congregation move from the former pastor to the new pastor. It’s a very specific work.

It varies depending on the church.”

At Newnan Presbyterian, Haynes is working with another female clergyperson, the Rev. Leigh Campbell-Taylor, the church’s associate pastor. This marks the first time one of the downtown Newnan churches has been led by two female clergy.

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Hometown Heritage Museum: A Tribute to Lewis Grizzard Moreland, Georgia - with an area of less than one square mile and about 400 citizens living within

its borders - is truly a small town. The size of the town, however, is no indication of the amount of community pride and appreciation the people of Moreland have for their hometown.

This hometown pride is reflected through the newly opened Hometown Heritage Museum: A Tribute to Lewis Grizzard. Located in the recently renovated Moreland Mill, the Hometown Heritage Museum depicts the life and culture of historic Moreland. The museum invokes a sense of nostalgia for those who grew up in Moreland and anyone who hails from a small town. Carol Chancey of the Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance believes that the idea of hometown heritage and pride is “something that everyone can identify with.”

It’s as if visitors to the Hometown Heritage Museum are transported back in time. Walking into the museum,

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Carol Chancey of the Moreland Cultural Arts Alliance lines up a pool cue on the table where young Lewis Grizzard — depicted in the painting behind her — honed his skills.

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COMMUNITY The Hometown Heritage Museum’s exhibits include artifacts from the town’s agrarian past as well as books by hometown authors Lewis Grizzard and Erskine Caldwell.

“We love telling Lewis Grizzard’s story. There is so much more to go, and we are looking forward to the opportunity.”

— Carol Chancey visitors first enter the Train Depot featuring Grizzard’s childhood model train and signage from Moreland’s old train station. The rest of the first floor is designed to look like the old town and spotlights many of the places mentioned in Lewis Grizzard’s columns and books. Museum goers can visit the general store, church, knitting mill, and bank. Each display tells a story of life in Moreland and highlights historic artifacts donated by town businesses and Moreland locals.

A major part of the museum is dedicated to Grizzard, a journalist, sportswriter, and feature columnist, who grew up in Moreland. Grizzard, often considered the “Mark Twain” of his time, is remembered as the youngest executive sports editor to work at The Atlanta Journal Constitution and is famous for his humorous lifestyle column in the AJC and his 20-plus books depicting his unique view on Moreland and Southern culture.

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Grizzard’s life and story are honored through a replica of his family’s 1950s brick ranch-style home located on the first floor of the museum. The display features his writings along with his personal effects — family photos, childhood items, and writing instruments.

These items were donated by Grizzard’s family, friends, and estate who wanted others to have the opportunity to learn about his life.

The Hometown Heritage Museum has plans to continue Grizzard’s legacy by expanding the Lewis Grizzard display to the second floor of the museum. As Carol Chancey stated, “We love telling Lewis Grizzard’s story. There is so much more to go, and we are looking forward to the opportunity.”

Future plans include installing storyboards to the existing displays and completing the second floor of the museum. In addition to the extended Grizzard display, the second floor will also host a media

center dedicated to the study of Grizzard and Erskine Caldwell, a famous novelist born in Moreland.

The works of these authors and other Georgia authors will be available for reading and research in several formats including print, audio, and video.

Though still in progress, the museum offers a charming look at historic Moreland. The museum is listed as part of the Southern Literary Trail and has attracted visitors from all over the state and has even entertained visitors from across the world.

The Hometown Heritage Museum is located at 7 Main St. The museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. It is also open by appointment, and group tours are welcome. Information regarding upcoming events and fundraising opportunities can be found at morelandadventure.com.

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Coweta County has a rich history — and it’s on display at the county’s many museums.

There are museums in Newnan, Senoia and Moreland, with permanent and rotating exhibits.

The Newnan-Coweta Historical Society operates the McRitchieHollis Museum and the Male Academy Museum.

McRitchie-Hollis Museum — which features impressive rotating exhibits and a permanent collection, as well as frequent programs and events, was made possible by the bequest of Edgar B. Hollis. It’s located at 74 Jackson St., Newnan.

The Male Academy Museum reopened in 2015 after a restoration and redo, and now features rotating exhibits, and a small permanent collection of furniture from the early 1800’s.

The furniture, from the Zeke Smith family, arrived in Coweta on a covered wagon when the family located here. It’s located at 30 Temple Ave., Newnan.

Hours for both museums are 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

McRitchie-Hollis is also open Saturdays from 10 to noon and 1 to 3. Saturday hours at the Male Academy are by appointment only.

Admission prices are $5 for adults, $2 for students, seniors, and children ages 4 to 12. Groups of 10 or more are $3 each.

Admission is free for historical society members. Admission prices cover both museums for same-day visits.

The historical society also

McRitchie-Hollis Museum

operates The History Center at the historic Atlanta and West Point Railroad freight depot. The depot frequently hosts special events, and there is a Civil War related exhibit.

The Senoia Historical Society has an extensive collection of Senoia historical memorabilia in its museum, located in a historic home. The museum features five display rooms and a small research library. The historical society also hosts events. The museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. It’s located at 6 Couch St., Senoia.

Also in Senoia is the Buggy Shop Museum. The museum, located at 74 Main St. in a building from 1890, features things that the Baggarly family has collected over decades. There are several antique vehicles, Coca Cola memorabilia, documents from Senoia businesses, antique clothes and much more.

Owner Janet Baggarly opens the museum on an occasional basis. Current hours are the third Saturday and Sunday of the month from 1 to 4 p.m., April through October.

Moreland has the Hometown Heritage Museum, a tribute to Lewis Grizzard, at 7 Main St. and The Little Manse, the birthplace of writer Erskine Caldwell, located on the town green. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. For more information, email info@morelandadventure. com.

Male Academy Museum

The History Center

Senoia Historical Society

The Buggy Shop Museum

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Hometown Heritage Museum

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Explore Coweta’s history at museums

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W Walking in the governors’ footsteps

Two governors — William Yates Atkinson and Ellis Gibbs Arnall — have called

Coweta County home.

Both practiced law in Newnan before entering politics. Both married smart, beautiful women from Florida. They were young when they became governor — Atkinson, 39 and Arnall at 36, the state’s youngest governor ever.

Both had young families and had a child born while they were serving as governor.

Atkinson and Arnall were both progressive Democrats

who advocated reform of prisons, education and elections. Atkinson sought to stop lynching — both legislatively and personally, and Arnall pushed for and obtained voting rights for 18-year-olds.

In Newnan today, there are reminders of both governors.

Historical markers recognizing their accomplishments are on the northeast corner of the grounds of the Coweta County Courthouse, and their portraits hang in the majestic courtroom on the second floor.

Atkinson and his wife, Susan,

are buried in the Presbyterian Section of Oak Hill Cemetery — the smaller area to the south of Jefferson Street. Arnall is buried in the main section of the cemetery in the lot purchased by his father, Joseph Gibbs Arnall. The governor, his parents, his wives Mildred and Ruby, his daughter Alice Harty and an infant granddaughter are all buried there.

The Atkinson home no longer stands. It was on Greenville Street near its intersection with Salbide Avenue. The Atkinsons rented the house before

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Ellis and Mildred Arnall lived in this handsome home on Jackson Street. At left, a sign marks Gov. Arnall’s birthplace in the College-Temple neighborhood.

purchasing it from members of the Pinson family. There was some land with the house, and a portion later became a service station lot on Salbide.

Arnall was born at 48 Wesley St., now the home of Leslie and Carol Toole. Just a short walk away, at 34 College St., was the home of Arnall’s paternal grandparents. His cousin, Georgia Shapiro, and her husband, Bob, live there today.

Ellis and Mildred Arnall built the house at 213 Jackson St., now the home of Rhodes Shell. It was constructed during World War II when building materials were in short supply. Because bricks of

several different hues were used for the exterior, the house has been painted throughout the years.

After his gubernatorial years, Arnall was an attorney with a large Atlanta firm. It is said that the paperwork for what became Walt Disney World was hammered out at the Arnall home on Jackson Street.

The Arnalls and the Atkinsons were churchgoers. The Atkinsons were Methodists, and the building where they worshipped no longer stands — except for the back wall which remains at the rear of the Lindsey’s building at 14 Jackson St. Arnall was a lifelong part of the Central Baptist Church family. The

church, which was founded just a decade before his birth, is at 14 E. Broad St. He married his second wife, Ruby Hamilton McCord, in a simple ceremony in Central’s sanctuary in 1981.

A parking lot on Perry Street was named for Arnall during his lifetime. Ellis G. Arnall Middle School, 700 Lora Smith Rd., is the most visible local tribute to Arnall.

Atkinson Elementary School on Nimmons Street is not named for the governor but for his brother, Theodore Ellis Atkinson, an educator and merchant. T.E. Atkinson’s home, long a Newnan landmark, is at 19 Temple Ave. Actor

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COMMUNITY At left, a middle school, top, and a parking lot, center, memorialize Ellis Arnall. Atkinson Elementary, bottom, actually is named for the brother of W.Y. Atkinson. Gov. Atkinson’s impressive tombstone, right, is in the Presbyterian section at Oak Hill Cemetery just north of downtown Newnan.

Bill Murray filmed scenes for “Get Low” there in 2009.

Arnall has lots of relatives in Newnan — most surnamed Arnall, some not.

If you happen to run into LouAnne Connell, however, you will find yourself chatting with a descendant of William Yates Atkinson. Connell grew up hearing stories about Gov. Atkinson from her great-great-aunt, Georgia Atkinson Bradfield, the only child of a Georgia governor born in the Governor’s Mansion.

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“Her stories were of a more personal nature as her father's untimely death greatly affected her life and that of her siblings.

Her mother became quite the independent working mom to support her family, consequently instilling that same courageous and tenacious spirit in my Aunt Georgia,” Connell said.

Connell’s late father, Ros Atkinson, was proud of the governor’s veto of a bill that would have outlawed college football.

For Connell herself, there is pride in her ancestor’s “accomplishment in pushing for an affordable college to educate women.” Atkinson, as a legislator, proposed the bill that created the Georgia Normal and Industrial College, later Georgia State College for Women. That Milledgeville institution is now Georgia College and State University.

William Yates Atkinson and Ellis Gibbs Arnall changed the way Georgians lived. Their footprints remain in their home county. CL

Derenda Rowe Executive Director — One Roof Outreach 1. Can you tell me a little about your organization?

In 2007, an alliance of churches of different denominations got together to help those struggling spiritually and financially in Coweta County. Soon after we became established, businesses and organizations joined us in our quest to help those in need in our community. Through our joint efforts we are working to improve the benevolence system of our community.

With donations from our churches, community, and individuals, we offer help in emergency financial situations.

A family in our community can

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Q & A with...

apply to receive help to pay a utility bill or rent, prescriptions, temporary housing and other basic needs, in times of financial hardship.

The Coweta Community Food Pantry is located in our buildings, and it has been in business for 33 years. We feed residents of Coweta County.

Clients may also receive personal-hygiene, clothing, furniture and household items, and resources for other agencies to try to meet as many needs as possible. Some of our clients arrive here homeless, and with counseling and guidance, we are able to help with jobs and housing.

2. For a nonprofit organization, what are some of Coweta’s greatest strengths?

We are a community of faith. Our churches joined together to form our ecumenical alliance, which is

now One Roof. We receive much of our funds and in-kind donations from our churches. This enables us to help the people who are in need in our community. Our school system supports us in so many ways. Businesses thrive in Coweta, and we appreciate the support that we receive from many of them. Even though we are a growing community, we still have that feeling that comes from our background of faith, which reminds us to love and help our neighbors.

3. How can someone new to the area get involved?

There are opportunities for volunteering in our office, thrift store, and the food pantry. If someone would like to join us as we serve our community, they can call: 770-683-7705 or they can email: one-roof@hotmail.com.

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Q & A with...

Ginger Jackson Queener Coweta Community Foundation, Chairman of the Board

1. Can you tell me a little about your organization?

The Coweta Community Foundation, Inc. was established in 1997 under the guidance of the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce. In 1998, the first major project of the foundation, Kids’ Castle Park, was completed.

In 2013, The Coweta Community Foundation and Coweta Together merged under the name of The Coweta Community Foundation.

Both organizations share a common passion to serve the citizens of Coweta County. This merger allows both organizations to maximize their impact on the community with the goal of connecting local organizations to ensure that Coweta citizens receive the help they need and deserve.

The foundation prides itself on the fact that what is raised In Coweta, stays In Coweta. This is accomplished through our grant programs whereby we support organizations that serve our community and its citizens.

Why The Coweta Community Foundation? We are a publicly supported 501(c)3 that exists both to maintain the charitable intent of donors and to act as a catalyst to help focus local philanthropy on our community’s changing needs. The Foundation manages individual's gifts and bequests as an endowed 100 Coweta Living 2016-17

pool of assets, distributing grants to a wide variety of organizations that enhance and support the quality of life in Coweta County.

The foundation receives charitable contributions, large and small, from people within our community. We invest the money and manage the funds until needs arise. We provide cost-effective administrative services to an assortment of donors and grow the collective endowments while also fulfilling the wishes of the donor.

Along with a donor’s trusted team of advisors, we can tailor giving for the individual, family or corporation to either support organizations for which they are most passionate or place dollars where needed the most. It is their choice.

Our offering of philanthropic vehicles is extensive. We host donor-advised funds, restricted donor-advised funds, scholarship funds, pass-thru funds, fieldof-interest funds, unrestricted endowments and designated funds.

We are also unique in our field.

We can act as a fiscal agent for a nonprofit that wishes to focus on what they do best and leave the administrative oversight to someone else. We are also the only community foundation that offers a payroll-deduction platform for employers who have up to 5,000 employees.

2. For a nonprofit organization, what are some of Coweta’s greatest strengths?

The generosity of our community.

Not only do our citizens support our nonprofit agencies, but when one of our fellow citizens needs assistance, one of our finest strengths is that we come together to take care of our own.

It is not just our individuals, but our corporate citizens as well.

In addition, we are a very progressive community. If there is something that we do not have that would enhance the quality of life of our citizens, together, we find a way to provide whatever is needed. Giving back is a way of life in Coweta. It crosses all generations, and it’s both in the monetary and hands-on sense. We are so fortunate to call Coweta home.

3. How can someone new to the area get involved?

Contact the foundation at www. cowetafoundation.org or on Facebook. We have a growing list of nonprofit agencies in our community that need volunteers both full time and on occasion as well as board members. We can assist anyone coming into our community by pairing them with nonprofits in the area in which the individual or corporation is most passionate.

We can even assist with organizing volunteer days for a corporation with one or more nonprofit agencies.

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Jeff Bishop Executive Director The Newnan Coweta Historical Society 1. Can you tell me a little about your organization?

The Newnan-Coweta Historical Society was formed in 1971 to “interpret and preserve the historical, cultural and architectural heritage of Coweta County through its programs, exhibitions and collections while serving, engaging and educating the diverse communities of Coweta County and the surrounding region.”

We offer a variety of programs and exhibits throughout the year to highlight local history and the arts and humanities. This year, we partnered with the Order of the Tartan to present the ceileigh and concert celebration for the birthday of Robert Burns, in recognition of

local Scottish heritage and ties to our sister city, Ayr. We partnered with the Newnan Theatre Company and the Newnan Cultural Arts Commission to present “Flies at the Well,” a new musical take on the 1948 John Wallace murder trial.

We sponsored an Easter Egg roll on the lawn at the McRitchie-Hollis Museum and a summer “Family Fun Day.” We also had several art shows, including a plein-air art exhibit featuring Millie Gosch, a pottery exhibit at the Male Academy, two quilt exhibits, and a nature photo contest. Exhibits from the extensive textile collection include a summer exhibit featuring historic swimwear and dresses from the Victorian era for a “Downton Abbey“ event.

We also partnered with the Carnegie Library to present a spring series on Southern literature and history, called “Southern Crossroads.” Upcoming activities and events include an “Antique Roadshow” appraisal event, a

Quilt Expo, a storytelling festival, cemetery tours, and much more.

2. For nonprofits and other philanthropic organizations, what are some of Coweta’s greatest strengths?

Coweta County has a vital, thriving community of nonprofit organizations that are mutually supportive. These organizations are fortunate to have local businesses, individuals, and foundations that help financially support our diverse missions.

3. How can someone new to the area get involved?

We encourage membership and involvement with the NewnanCoweta Historical Society, as well as our sister nonprofit organizations.

Becoming involved is as easy as going to our website, www. newnancowetahistoricalsociety.com, or to our Facebook page, or calling us at 770-251-0207. We look forward to hearing from you! CL Coweta Living 2016-17 101

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Many nonprofits offer assistance to Cowetans in need — and welcome volunteers

Coweta County has a host of non-profit organizations dedicated to

helping those in need.

For those seeking food or shelter, there are One Roof, Bridging the Gap and the Salvation Army. Each can provide food and limited financial assistance.

All three can also provide clothing and household items for those in need.

Many of Coweta’s churches also have food ministries/food pantries, and provide other assistance to members and community members with any need. Several sponsor clothing giveaways or meals.

The Coweta Samaritan Clinic is a free primary care health clinic for those who make under 200 percent of the poverty level. Patients are accepted by appointment only, and new patient appointments may be limited.

Volunteer opportunities are available for physicians, nurses, medical assistants and other medical and office positions.

You can donate online at www. cowetasamaritanclinic.org .

Your Town Health/Palmetto Health Council is a subsidized clinic that offers primary care, dental care, and mental health care, as well as deeply subsidized

prescription drugs for those without insurance. Services are available to patients of all income levels; charges are on a sliding scale based on income.

You do not have to be a resident of any specific county to get care there.

There is also a walk-in clinic where visits are $40. Your Town Health has its main office in Palmetto, with small offices, with various services, in Senoia, Greenville, Manchester, Carrollton, Barnesville and Zebulon.

Those seeking jobs or help with getting a job can visit the Goodwill Career Centers at the Newnan Main and Newnan East Goodwill locations, or the Georgia Department of Labor Career Center. The Goodwill Career Centers offer free use of computers, scanners, fax machines, printers and telephones, as well as help with resumes and job searches, and occasional job readiness and preparation classes.

The Coweta Community Foundation helps support many of Coweta’s nonprofits, by raising money and making grants. For more information visit www. cowetafoundation.org or call 770-2531833.

These are just a few of the many groups working to help Cowetans and

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The Coweta Samaritan Clinic has a pharmacy to provide free prescriptions for its clients.

At the pharmacy is Medical Assistant Raquel Hannah.

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COMMUNITY Volunteers sort items at the Coweta Community Food Pantry following the 2015 Coweta Can-A-Thon.

make our county a better place.

Here’s a few more: Community Welcome House provides emergency and transitional housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence. For more information visit www. communitywelcomehouse.org or call 770-304-0966.

to those who are experiencing these challenges,” said co-founder Christi Estes. “Can’t Never Could makes these contributions with the desire to glorify Christ who provides strength in all circumstances.”

For more information visit www. cantnevercouldinc.com .

Prevent Child Abuse Coweta is the local chapter of Prevent Child Abuse Georgia. PCACoweta works to raise awareness of child maltreatment in our community to encourage discussion about these issues that are important but often difficult to address, said Susan Ebersbach of PCACoweta. The organization is run entirely by volunteers. To volunteer or join the mailing list, email sebersbach@numail.org.

Southeastern Assistance in Healthcare is a voluntary and charitable organization that helps cancer patients in treatment, and their families, with non-medical financial burdens. “Such burdens are utilities, housing, transportation childcare and other basic living expenses,” said board member Nancy Mader. “Our mission is to lessen the financial stress of patients so they can focus on healing.” For more information visit www.aih.org/ newnan or call 770-400-6263.

Can’t Never Could helps individuals and groups facing adversity and personal battles. Through monetary donations, support, and faith in Jesus Christ, Can’t Never Could “wishes to instill determination and hope

Humane Societies: Coweta County is home to several humane societies which work to rescue homeless pets.

They include: Newnan-Coweta Humane Society, www.nchsrescue. org or 770-253-4694; Georgia

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Heartland Humane Society, www.

GeorgiaHeartlandHumaneSociety. com or 770-830-2820; Shelter Rescue and Please Rescue Me, www.ShelterRescueInc.org; The Good Shepherd Humane Society, paws911rescue@yahoo.com or find The Good Shepherd on Facebook. The Newnan-Coweta Humane Society runs the HELP Spay Neuter Clinic, which offers lowcost spay/neuter surgeries, and has financial assistance programs for those who can’t afford to have their pets spayed or neutered.

For more information visit www. helpspayneuter.org or call 770-304-7911.

Healing4Heroes helps military personnel and veterans move forward after being wounded physically and/or mentally with the assistance of service animals.

Healing4Heroes also saves the lives of unwanted shelter dogs by rescuing them and training them to be service animals. The dogs and training are provided free of charge to each veteran; the

Serving Atlanta’s Southern Crescent Since 1969

Nature Never Goes Out of Style

cost to the organization is about $6,000. Each veteran is directly involved in the training of their service dogs. For more information visit www. healing4heroes.org .

The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Service/4-H office provides research-based education to youth and adults in three program areas: agriculture and natural resources, 4-H Youth Development and Family and Consumer Science.

Contact the Extension/4-H office at 770-254-2620 for soil, water, and forage sampling, landscape diagnostic services, landowner resources, youth development programs and much more.

One Roof/Coweta Community Food Pantry: 251, 253, 255 Temple Avenue, Newnan. www.oneroofoutreach.org.

770-683-7705. One-roof@ hotmail.com

Bridging the Gap: 19 First Ave., Newnan. www.btgcommunity. org . 770-683-9110.

Your Town Health: 643 Main Street, Palmetto. 770-463-4644. www.yourtownhealth.com .

Coweta Samaritan Clinic: 137 Jackson Street, Newnan.

770-683-5272. www. cowetasamaritanclinic.org Info@cowetasamaritanclinic. org The Salvation Army: 670 Jefferson Street, Newnan.

770-251-8181.

LARGE IN-STOCK SELECTION Organic Compost • Mulch Stone • Decorative Rocks Dirt • Gravel & other Landscaping Material

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Rivers career centers: Newnan West: 228 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan. 770-254-8480.

Newnan East: 3121 E. Hwy. 34 Newnan (Thomas Crossroads).

678-854-6839.

Authorized Pavestone Distributor

Newnan Career Center of the Georgia Department of Labor: 30 Bledsoe Road, Newnan.

770-254-7220. CL

www.viningstone.com

211 Stewart Road Sharpsburg, GA 30277

770-252-6336

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Coweta Living 2016-17 105

COMMUNITY

Coweta Clubs If you want to get involved in the Coweta community, there are a lot of opportunities.

The county and its cities have numerous civic clubs, social organizations, fraternal organizations, and support groups, as well as clubs and associations for various hobbies.

Clubs range from the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs to Masonic lodges, 4-H, the Coweta Beekeepers and the Newnan-Coweta Art Association.

Here’s a list:

Civics Clubs Rotary Club of Senoia meets at Senoia Coffee & Cafe in downtown Senoia on Mondays at 6:30 p.m.

Details: Ginger 770-253-9478 or visit senoiarotary.org .

Newnan Rotary Club meets at noon on Fridays at Newnan Country Club.

Details: Walt Thompson, 770-251-8223.

Newnan Kiwanis Club meets at noon on Tuesdays at the Newnan Country Club. Details Bud Freeburg, Budf@lindseysrealtors.com or www.

NewnanKiwanisClub.org .

Grantville Kiwanis Club meets 6 p.m. first and third Thursdays at Sewell Mortuary, 220 Charlie Patterson Rd. Details and membership: Willie Boyd 770-251-9526.

Kiwanis Club of Coweta County meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays 10 a.m. at Newnan Country Club. Contact Louise Davis 770-253-7147 for details.

Kiwanis Club of White Oak Golden K meets 9 a.m. on Thursdays at Sprayberry’s, Bullsboro Drive.

Membership: Charles D. Waites 770-253-6464 or 770-301-7563.

Newnan-Coweta Lions Club meets noon first Thursdays at Golden Corral, Bullsboro Drive. Details: Peter Burns 770-252-6835 or 678-850-0738.

The Newnan-Coweta Art Association puts on an annual juried art show to display the finest work of local artists. Admiring fused-glass sculpture at the 2014 show are Rachel Douglas and grandmother Merri Douglas.

Newnan Optimist Club meets 6:30 p.m. first and third Tuesdays at Golden Corral in Newnan. Details: Jennifer 678-876-103 or jenn@ fragilekids.org .

Senoia Optimist Club meets 6 p.m. first Thursdays at Matt’s Smalltown Pizza and third Thursdays at Maguire’s Irish Pub. Details: Tony Bell 770-599-3981 or visit www. senoiaoptimistclub.org .

WRITTEN BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL

106 Coweta Living 2016-17

The Newnan Junior Service League is an organization of women committed to making Newnan a better community since 1926. The Junior League hosts the annual Can-A-Thon, Christmas in Newnan program, scholarship program and grant program. Money from the sale of the league’s three cookbooks goes to the scholarship program. For more information email njslpr@gmail. com.

Special Interest Clubs Newnan-Coweta Art Association meets the third Thursday of each month at the Harriet Alexander Art House, 31 Hospital Road, Newnan. www.newcaa.com .

Newnan Hiking Club has regular meetings and several scheduled hikes through the year. Contact Phil LaRue for more information at Pirate4359@ aol.com .

The Coweta Beekeepers have regular meetings and beekeeping workshops. For more information visit

www.CowetaBeekeepers.org or call Steve at 770-683-2465.

Coweta Radio Control Club has regular fly-ins at the home grounds at Powers’ Crossroads, 4766 Hwy. 34 West, Newnan.

Spectators are welcome. Visit www.

CowetaRadioControl.com or call President Gene Lavine at 770-3187069 for more information.

Bill Gremillion Memorial Radio Club meets the 4th Thursday of each month at Golden Corral. The club participates in amateur radio activities and emergency communications. Visit www.bgmrc. org for more information.

MOMS Clubs are for stay-at-home moms. There are four MOMS Clubs serving Coweta County. Visit www. momsclub.org to find a chapter near you.

Friends of Chattahoochee Bend State Park do extensive volunteer activities at the park, including trail building and cleanups. www. bendfriend.com .

Coweta County 4-H provides a host of activities and special interest clubs for youth. For more information call 770-254-2620.

Coweta Woodturners Club meets the third Tuesday of every month.

Newbies and those interested in woodturning are welcome to come to meetings to learn about wood turning. Contact Roger Hendrickson at 404-418-6255 or 678-378-5958.

Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce has numerous events and activities for members. Visit NewnanCowetaChamber.org or call 770-253-2270.

Coweta County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers offer information on gardening, run the greenhouse and put on the annual plant sale. For more information call 770-254-2620.

Offering personalized music instruction & summer camps

Musicians for hire.

• • • • • • • • •

Guitar Bass Guitar Drums Piano Voice Mandolin Banjo Strings Woodwinds

...and more!

770.252.7900

info@musicologynewnan.com

WWW.MUSICOLOGYNEWNAN.COM Coweta Living 2016-17 107

COMMUNITY

The Pilot Club of Newnan focuses on educating people about brain disorders and disabilities, prevention of traumatic brain injury and support for caregivers. The club meets the first Tuesday of the month, August through June, at 6:30 p.m. at the NewnanCoweta Chamber of Commerce. For more information call 678-925-4353 or visit www.pilotgeorgia.org .

COMMUNITY Members of the Friends of Chattahoochee Bend State Park show off trash and debris collected during one of the two river cleanup projects the friends group participates in every year.

Chattahoochee Valley Poultry Association puts on the annual show in February, the open show at the Coweta County Fair, and encourages and promotes the breeding, exhibiting and selling of purebred poultry. The association meets the fourth Thursday of each month at the Coweta County Fairgrounds, 275 Pine Road, Newnan. Visit www.cvpanewnan.org or call Bryan Massengale at 770-900-1669.

Newnan-Coweta Historical Society operates the McRitchie-Hollis and Male Academy Museums, operates the History Center Depot special events facility and hosts numerous speakers. Visit www.

NewnanCowetaHistoricalSociety.com or call 770-251-0207.

The Senoia Area Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the social and cultural history of Senoia. The society operates the museum at 6 Couch Street, and hosts events and speakers. Meetings are held the second Thursday of the month at 7

108 Coweta Living 2016-17

p.m. (light refreshments are served at 6:30) Visit the group’s Facebook page or call Dub Pearman at 404-759-4515.

Coweta County Genealogical Society has a research library at 8 Carmichael St., Newnan and holds quarterly meetings. www.ccgsinc.org or 470215-1966.

Rebel Reelers Square Dance Club — dances 8-10 p.m. on first and third Fridays at Coweta Recreation Dept.

For details contact Darline Barge 770617-1211.

Turin Antique Tractor Association puts on the annual Turin Tractor Parade and Pull. www.TurinTractorPull.com or call 770-599-3611.

American Legion Post 57, meets first Thursdays at Coweta Veterans Club, U.S. Hwy. 29. Social begins at 5:30 meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. There is also the Sons of the American Legion and American Legion Riders. For more information contact Tim Smith at 770251-6949.

The American Legion Auxiliary is open to women related to American Legion eligible veterans. The auxiliary meets the first Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. A social is held at 5:30 p.m. For more information contact Alice Landrum, 770-251-6949.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2667 meets the second Saturday of the month at the Coweta Veterans Club on U.S. Hwy. 29. Breakfast is at 9 and the meeting begins at 9:30. There is also a VFW Riders organization. Call Jeff Carroll 404-981-2667 for more information.

The VFW Auxiliary is open to men and women related to VFW eligible veterans. It meets the second Saturday of the month at the Coweta Veterans Club. Breakfast is at 9 a.m. and the meeting begins at 9:30. For more information call Janet Alford at 404-981-2667.

Beta Sigma Phi meets first Thursdays at 7 p.m. Contact Debbie 678-3640134 or Addie 678-364-8526 or check www.betasigmaphi.org for details.

Civil Air Patrol PTC- Falcon Field Composite Squadron meets Thursdays 7-9 p.m. Contact 770-4879526 for more details.

Coweta Lodge 60 Free & Accepted Masons meets 2nd and 4th Tuesdays.

Supper 6:30 p.m.; lodge Sewell Rd., Newnan, opens 7:30 p.m.

Delta Xi Chapter of Sigma Beta meets 2nd Thursdays. Call Annette 770-4879845 for details.

Friends of the Library groups for the Coweta County Library System meet third Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. Contact 770-683-2052 for details.

Daughters of the American Revolution, General Daniel Newnan Chapter meets third Saturdays. Call Jeannie at 770-253-6517.

Marine Corps League meets 2nd Tuesdays at Christ The King Church.

Call Dan 770-461-3043 for details.

Masonic Lodge 429 of Sargent meets 7 p.m. 2nd and fourth Mondays.

Contact James 770-253-5790 for details.

McIntosh Lodge 735 meets 7 p.m.

2nd and fourth Mondays on East Washington St., Newnan. Includes dinner. Details: Curtis 770-304-3249.

Newnan Shrine Club normally meets 6:30 p.m. third Mondays at Coweta Lodge No. 60 on Sewell Rd. For details call 678-416-2362.

Monthly job networking meeting is 2nd Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Parish Hall of First United Methodist Church. Call 770-253-7400 for more information.

Order of the Tartan is an organization celebrating Scottish heritage in west Georgia and east Alabama. Email Theorderofthetartan@gmail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page.

Tommy Thompson Senior Center, 29 Hospital Rd., Newnan, has activities Mon.-Fri. Call 770-683-8600 for details.

Support groups and informational clubs

Women with Depression meets 7 p.m. on Tuesdays at Crossroads Church, 2564 Hwy. 154. Visit crossroadsnewnan.org for details.

Cancer Support Group of East Coweta meets 2 p.m. fourth Tuesdays. Contact 770-599-3245 and senioaunitedmeth@bellsouth.net for more information.

The Cancer Support Group of Coweta hosts regular meetings and has a durable medical equipment program. Call 770-502-1835 for more information.

Grandparents Raising Children support group meets at 10 a.m. on third Wednesdays at Tommy Thompson Senior Citizens Center, Hospital Rd., Newnan. Contact 706302-6192 or glosanford@yahoo.com for more information.

The Newnan Lupus Support Group meets the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Country Inn and Suites, 1125 Newnan Crossing Boulevard East. Contact Regina Olmstead at 404-550-5263 for more information.

Grantville Senior Center, 123 LaGrange St. in Grantville city hall building, meets Monday through Friday. Contact 770-583-2707 for more details.

Job Seekers of Peachtree City meets every Friday at First Baptist Church of PTC from 7:30 to 10a.m. Check www. jobseekersptc.org or email info@ jobseekersptc.org.

COMMUNITY

Bigham Masonic Lodge F&AM in Moreland meets first and third Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held at multiple locations around the county. Visit www.AtlantaAA.org or call 404-525-3178 for the 24/hour helpline.

Narcotics Anonymous meetings are held in Newnan and near Thomas Crossroads. Visit NA.org or call 404447-8445. CL

Gran d

ReOpening

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH

Senior Living & Memory Care

4:00-6:00p.m.

The public is invited to tour the beautiful remodeled community!

27 Belt Road, Newnan, GA 30263 | 770.251.6639

of Newnan www.InsigniaofNewnan.com

HEALTH & FITNESS

H

Horses, riders enjoying local countryside WRITTEN BY MARTHA A. WOODHAM | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAMES JOHNSON

110 Coweta Living 2016-17

Austin Shelton looks off into the distance as he enjoys horseback riding with friends at a farm near Moreland.

The rolling farmland that attracted farmers to Coweta County a century and a half ago now is experiencing a new chapter of history as a sanctuary for horses and the people who love them.

As the tremendous growth north of Atlanta over the past 30 years has turned farms into subdivisions, horse enthusiasts looked south to Coweta County.

Today Coweta County is home to almost all horse sport disciplines. Whether you ride English or Western, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced rider, not only will you find riding resources to meet your needs, you will find a welcoming group of horsemen and women.

That’s what I found when I moved here in 1998. I bought a farm and installed pastures and settled into a life that has included lots of horsey friends and places to ride.

Through my Newnan-Coweta Magazine column, I got to know more horse people beyond the friends at the barn where I kept my horse. Coweta County has a thriving community of people who can help you realize your equestrian dreams – and your children’s.

What’s available? For the English rider, eventing, show hunters, dressage, jumpers, foxhunting and polo.

For the Western rider, reining, barrel racing, cow work, cowboy dressage and rodeo.

Coweta Living 2016-17 111

FOR KIDS From trail riding to fox hunting to horse showing, horse activities are one of the few sports that parents and children can share. No sitting on the sidelines watching your kid from the stands. You are out spending time together as you meander along a trail or gallop after hounds chasing a coyote.

You have several options for getting your horse-crazy youngster on horseback, even if you don’t have a horse. One great way is the Coweta County 4-H Club, sponsored by the University of Georgia Extension Service. The mission of Georgia 4-H is to inspire youth to utilize their knowledge, skills, and attitudes in working toward a more selfconfident, self-sufficient individual.

And there is nothing like a horse to teach a kid responsibility and confidence.

Coweta County 4-H offers a Horse & Pony Club, an award-winning Equine Drill Team and a Dressage Team, plus teams that compete in horse knowledge and judging. For more information, please contact the extension office, 770-254-2620.

A GREAT PLACE TO RIDE The other day I found myself on a trail ride through the East Coweta countryside with nine other people.

We had been at a farewell party for some horsey friends the night before.

The husband was being transferred overseas, and the wife and their new baby were moving back to Virginia to be closer to her family.

Kitty Yeager enjoys a morning trot along a Coweta horse trail.

112 Coweta Living 2016-17

“You’ll be back,” we all told the couple. “That’s what happens – sometimes people have to leave, but they come back to Coweta.” We ended the evening promising to meet the next morning for a trail ride.

We gathered on a beautiful farm recently purchased by an Atlanta couple where horses grazed in a manicured pasture. Most of the riders simply rode their horses over from their nearby farms. Then we had a glorious ride that included jumping logs and a couple of gallops.

I remember looking around, taking in the countryside, and thinking, “It’s hard to believe we are only 35 miles from Atlanta and we have all these beautiful places to ride. I am so lucky to live here.”

And you can be, too. CL

RIDING LESSONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS Double Bar H Stables

EQUINE VETERINARIANS Safe and Sound Equine Service

TACK AND FEED STORES Arnall Grocery Co.

404-295-3374 facebook.com/Dblbarhstables

770-252-8414 safevets.com

Meadow Wood Farm

Southern Crescent Equine

Farm & Masonry Supply

770-254-9079 meadowwoodfarm.net

770-252-6860 southerncrescentequine.com

770-251-1224 farmmasonrysupply.webs.com

770-253-4556 arnallgrocery.com

Line Creek Feed & Tack

Shady Oaks Farm

RIDING TRAILS Chattahoochee Bend State Park

770-833-7020 shadyoakseventing.com

Willow Dell Equestrian Center 404-213-8902 willowdellequestriancenter.com

770-599-3000 linecreekfeed.com

Tractor Supply Co.

770-254-7271 gastateparks.org/ ChattahoocheeBend

770-251-3439 tractorsupply.com

Enjoy Life Again!

Live Life to its fullest.

Don’t let hearing loss keep you from your activites!

Dr. Nikki DeGeorge Weaver

Audiologist

Dr. Leslie Neal

Audiologist

We are a full diagnostic Audiology Clinic and provide:

• • • • • • •

Diagnostic Hearing Testing Diagnostic Vestibular Testing (Dizziness) Diagnostic Tinnitus Testing (Ringing) Hearing Aid Reprogramming Hearing Aid Sales Wax Removal Pediatrics Through Geriatrics

Audiologist or Audiology Assistant on Staff 5 Days Per Week!

Newnan Location

Fayette Location

20 Baker Rd. Suite 3 Newnan, GA 30265 770-254-2224 www.cowetahearing.com

8 Eastbrook Bend Peachtree City, GA 30269 770-631-4490 www.fayettehearing.com Coweta Living 2016-17 113

HEALTH & FITNESS

Here are some other resources, but this list is by no means complete. Do a web search for “horse lessons” or visit a local feed and tack shop for more information.

HEALTH & FITNESS

C Coweta County: a destination for golfers WRITTEN BY CLAY NEELY

Very few communities are as fortunate as Coweta to have access to a variety of diverse golf courses within such a small radius. Regardless of your skill level or income, you don’t need to look far in order to find a golf course that’s right for you.

Coweta County boasts six golf courses – each one showcasing its own unique designs and challenges. As many golfers can attest, such a high Originally opened in 1965, Canongate I offers a 36-hole course, along with double-sided driving range and a short-game practice area.

114 Coweta Living 2016-17

HEALTH & FITNESS

concentration of quality courses in a small area is far from commonplace.

Canongate I Golf Club, located in Sharpsburg, originally opened in 1965 with 18 holes designed by world-renowned architects Dick Wilson and Joe Lee. Architects Rocky Roquemore and Jeff Burton designed the additional 18 holes added in 1999, creating the 36-hole facility known today.

In addition to the courses, the club offers a doublesided driving range with both mat and grass hitting areas, targets and premium range balls, as well as a shortgame practice area.

Canongate I is open seven days a week. Walking is permitted before 8:00 a.m. or after 12 noon on weekends and holidays.

Coweta Club in Arbor Springs Plantation is another popular destination for golfers, touting its course by design as being unlike most golf course experiences.

Situated on 180 picturesque acres north of Newnan, the course aims to offer a fair and interesting challenge to golfers at every level. Coweta Club features five sets of golf tees, playing to a strong 7,056 yards “from the tips” but also offering multiple levels of challenge, including a friendly layout of less than 5,000 yards from the forward tees.

Coweta Club offers chipping and putting areas and is also equipped with a lighted driving range and PGA staff available for lessons.

Formed in 1919, Newnan Country Club is Coweta’s first golf course and has been a mainstay of the local golfing community for nearly a century.

Designed by Denis Griffiths, NCC offers 6,966 yards of golf for a par of 72. The course offers Bermuda fairways and bentgrass greens. The club is open seven days a week and offers after-school programs for junior golfers.

Consistently ranked among the top public courses in Georgia, Orchard Hills Golf Club is located south of Newnan off I-85 and Highway 16 East. Designed by Don

Coweta Club features five sets of golf tees, chipping and putting areas, and a lighted driving range with PGA staff available for lessons.

Senior Helpers offers personalized in-home care, professional caregivers, and peace of mind for your family.

All at a moment’s notice.

Call today to learn more.

770-487-1297 www.seniorhelpers.com Coweta Living 2016-17 115

HEALTH & FITNESS

With five sets of tees, Summer Grove (above) can be played at a distance that matches the player’s game — appealing to a wide range of skill levels.

Formed in 1919, Newnan Country Club (left) is Coweta’s first golf course and has been a mainstay of the local golfing community for nearly a century.

Cottle, Jr., this public course touts a beautiful 27-hole championship layout featuring bentgrass greens and Bermuda fairways.

Orchard Hills touts itself as “a challenging and pleasurable experience for golfers of all capabilities.” Golf Digest awarded Orchard Hills a Four Star Rating in its recent publication of “Places to Play.”

Orchard Hills is open 7 days a week, provides golf instruction by PGA professionals and prides itself as “Southern hospitality with a Scottish links flavor.”

Spread over 250 acres of rolling hills, Summer Grove Golf Club offers an 18-hole, par 72 golf course. Designed

by Jeff Burton and Joe T. Jemsek, the course wanders through native dogwoods and pine trees, preserved wetlands, and wildlife habitats.

116 Coweta Living 2016-17

With five sets of tees, Summer Grove can be played at a distance that matches the player’s game – appealing to a wide range of skill levels. The club also offers a 3-hole, par 3 practice course, driving range, and putting and chipping greens. The driving range is open from 7 a.m. through dusk daily.

White Oak Golf Club offers terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level. The club offers two very distinct layouts: The Old Course, with a very traditional layout, and the Seminole Course, with a more modern layout.

Designed by Joseph L. Lee and Rocky Roquemore, the 18-hole course features 6,850 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. The course rating is 73.0 and it has a slope rating of 135 on Bermuda grass. CL

ORCHARD HILLS GOLF CLUB

924 Shaw Rd., Sharpsburg, GA 30277 770-463-3342 • canongategolf.com Sat. — Thurs. 7:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Fri. 7:00 a.m. — 8:00 p.m.

18 Holes | Private course | Par: 72 | 6,794 yds.

600 E. Hwy. 16, Newnan, GA 30263 770-251-5683 • orchardhills.com 18 Holes | Public course | Par: 72 | 7,014 yds.

7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

COWETA CLUB

335 SummerGrove Pkwy., Newnan, GA 30265 770-251-1800 • summergrovegolf.com 18 Holes | Public course | Par: 72 | 6954 yds.

7 days a week, 7:00 a.m. — 7:00 p.m.

300 Arbor Springs Pkwy., Newnan, GA 30265 770-683-4727 • cowetaclub.com Mon. — Fri. 8:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

Sat. — Sun. 7:30 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.

18 Holes | Public course | Par: 72 | 7,056 yds.

NEWNAN COUNTRY CLUB 1356 N. Hwy. 29, Newnan, GA 30264 770-253-3675 • newnancc.org 18 Holes | Private course | Par: 72 | 6,966 yds.

Tues. — Thurs. 8:00 a.m. — 9:00 p.m.

Fri. 8:00 a.m. — 10:00 p.m.

Sat. 7:30 a.m. — 10:00 p.m.

Sun. 8:00 a.m. — 9:00 p.m.

Closed Mon.

SUMMER GROVE GOLF CLUB

WHITE OAK GOLF CLUB 141 Clubview Dr. Newnan, GA 30265 770-251-6700 • canongategolf.com 18 Holes | Private course | Par: 72 | 6,850 yds.

7 days a week, 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.

BREAKING GROUND FOR THE

New Southern

Lifestyle

at Wesley Woods of Newnan For almost 20 years, Wesley Woods of Newnan has focused on quality senior living in the southern tradition. We are celebrating a milestone with the community as we break ground for our new independent living cottage homes, designed for the new southern lifestyle.

A senior living community on 54 acres offering independent apartments and cottages, personal care, memory care and nursing care, all on one campus.

770-683-6833 • wesleywoodsnewnan.org 2280 North Highway 29 | Newnan, GA 30265

Coweta Living 2016-17 117

HEALTH & FITNESS

CANONGATE I GOLF CLUB

HEALTH & FITNESS

P

Plenty of sports for everyone Kids and adults alike can get athletic

Sports are a fixture for both young and old patrons of Coweta County, and there is a variety of options for people to choose from, including youth baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, football, volleyball and adult softball and flag football.

Information, provided by the Coweta County Recreation Department, is available for most of the sports.

WRITTEN BY PAUL SLOBODZIAN

118 Coweta Living 2016-17

T

he Coweta County Recreation Department holds t-ball games at the Hunter Complex for the spring and fall seasons. Contact Lance Dennis at ldennis@coweta.ga.us or call 770-254-3750.

The former Newnan Pony League, now known as the Newnan Youth Athletic Association, offers baseball and t-ball in the spring and fall for kids ages 4 to 14.

Visit NYAA.us.

NYAA games are played at the Coweta Recreation Department headquarters on Temple Avenue in Newnan.

Spring and fall baseball is available in Sharpsburg for ages 3 to 14 as well, and games are played at Andrew Bailey Park in Sharpsburg. For more information, visit www.SharpsburgBaseball.com or call 470-468-3261.

The Senoia Area Athletic Association offers softball and baseball leagues, and they play at Leroy Johnson Park in Senoia. Go to www.SenoiaAthletics.com or call 678-942-6868 for more information.

Grantville hosts South Coweta Little League for boys and girls ages 3 to 16 to play spring baseball. Visit www.GrantvilleBaseball.com.

Sargent is home to West Coweta Little League, which offers t-ball for 4-yearolds, coach-pitch baseball for 5- and 6-year-olds, and baseball for 7- to 12-year-olds.

Go to www.eteamz.com/WestCoweta.

HEALTH & FITNESS

BASEBALL

BASEBALL

BASKETBALL

B

oys’ and girls’ basketball is available for children ages 7 to 14 at the Coweta County Recreation Department. Games are played at the Hunter Complex on Hwy. 16 close to Sharpsburg for 7- to 10-year-old boys and at the Clay-Wood Complex in Newnan for older boys and girls.

Contact Kevin Carlisle at kcarlisle@coweta.ga.us for boys ages 7 to 10 and Jay Walton at jwalton@coweta.ga.us for other ages. Registration for 2016 begins September 26 and runs until November 4 at either the Hunter or Clay-Wood complexes.

Barry K. Marcum, D.M.D.

Eric D. Mobley, D.M.D.

Comprehensive Care

for Infants, Children, Adolescents and Teenagers

Where Every Smile Counts!

Peachtree City

310 Stevens Entry • 770-486-0054

Newnan

84 Jefferson Pkwy., Suite A • 770-252-2700

www.peachtreepediatricdentistry.comCoweta Living 2016-17 119

HEALTH & FITNESS

FOOTBALL & CHEERLEADING

F

lag football and cheerleading are available for 5- to 9-year-olds at the Hunter Complex. Contact Lance Dennis by phone at 770-254-3750.

Kids 7 to 12 years old can play tackle football at either the Hunter or Temple Avenue complex. Seven to 8-year-olds and 9-to 10-yearolds play at the Hunter Complex, and 11- and 12-year-olds play at the Temple Avenue facility.

Call Kevin Carlisle at 770-254-3740 for 7- to 10-year-olds and Jay Walton at 770-254-3745 for 11- and 12-year-olds.

For information regarding 9- to 10-year-old girls’ cheerleading, call 770-254-3745.

Football and cheerleading is offered through the Coweta Cobra Foundation. Flag football is available for 3 and 4-year-olds, and tackle football is for ages 5 to 12.

Competitive cheerleading is offered for girls ages 4 to 12. Visit deandre-l-franklin. wix.com/cobra-u for more information.

The Sharpsburg Youth Football Association/Sharpsburg Stallions offers football and cheerleading for ages 5 to 14. The Sharpsburg Stallions are a “heads up” football program, meaning it concentrates more on safety and education. For more information, visit SharpsburgFootball.com or call 678-561-5716.

PICKLEBALL

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ickleball, which is a game that combines different elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis into one game, is available at the Newnan Recreation Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Two courts are available at the center, and anyone interested in participating should call 770-254-3750 for more information.

SOCCER

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hildren and teens from the age of 4 all the way to 19 can play soccer at the Southern Soccer Academy/Coweta Cannons. Athletes who play into their upper teen years will play in the “select program.” For more information, call 470-314-4899 or visit www.CannonsSoccer.com.

Spring soccer is also offered by the Coweta County Recreation Department for ages 3 to 7 at the Hunter Complex. Contact ldennis@coweta. ga.us or call Lance Dennis at 770-254-3750.

120 Coweta Living 2016-17

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eroy Johnson Park in Senoia is home to girls’ softball for the Senoia Area Athletic Association.

Check out SenoiaAthletics.com or call 678-942-6868 for more information.

The Sharpsburg Regional Softball Association offers fastpitch softball for girls ages 6 to 13, including travel teams, and games are played at Whitlock Park in Newnan.

Visit CowetaGirlsSoftball.com or call 678-332-8995.

Men and women 18 and up can join an Adult Softball league during either the spring or fall. Teams include men’s open, men’s church, women’s church, and co-ed. Contact mgramling@coweta.ga.us or call 770-254-3750 for information about the fall league and jwalton@coweta. ga.us or call 770-254-3745 for information about spring.

VOLLEYBALL

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oys and girls ages 11 to 16 can participate in spring and fall volleyball offered by the Coweta Recreation Department. Contact Lance Dennis for spring or Kevin Carlisle for fall at 770-254-3750. CL

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HEALTH & FITNESS

SOFTBALL

HEALTH & FITNESS

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Find your calling in Coweta County Rec centers offer many opportunities

WRITTEN BY PAUL SLOBODZIAN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAMES JOHNSON

Coweta County offers a multitude of athletic opportunities at three recreation centers for people of all ages.

There is a plethora of indoor and outdoor sports and activities available to participate in at any of the county’s recreational facilities and community centers, and kids have numerous opportunities to find something they love to do.

“It makes for more family involvement,” Carl McKnight, director of the Coweta County Parks and Recreation Department, said. “The parents come and bring their children to the games and enjoy the games.

They let the kids be kids. It puts more emphasis on family.”

The Newnan Recreation Center is located at 39 Hospital Rd., and it features weight rooms, meeting rooms and an indoor basketball court. The complex offers three outdoor tennis courts, seven baseball fields with varying sizes, a playground and a pavilion. The complex also provides access to the Asa M. Powell, 122 Coweta Living 2016-17

HEALTH & FITNESS

Sr. Expo Center, the Tommy Thompson Senior Center and the Harriet Alexander Art House.

Coweta also features two other complexes with similar amenities as the Newnan Recreation Center facility. Located at 2970 Hwy. 16 in Sharpsburg, the Hunter Complex contains a weight room, meeting room, an indoor basketball court, a 1-mile walking trail, tennis courts and baseball fields. At 135 Heery Road in Newnan is the Clay-Wood Complex, offering a community center, kitchen, weight room and meeting room.

Gym memberships can be purchased year-round at any of the three recreational centers, also.

“The county has bent over backwards to provide for Coweta County citizens,” McKnight stated.

Children and young adults can compete in team sports including soccer, t-ball, softball, basketball, football, volleyball, and cheerleading for the Coweta Parks and Recreation Athletic program.

Camps are offered throughout the year, and football and volleyball

The Coweta County Recreation Department headquarters on Hospital Road has long been a spot where county residents have found opportunities to play, learn and challenge themselves.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Both the Newnan Recreation Center and Hunter Complex extend unique opportunities to participate in a variety of activities.

The Hunter Complex provides a variety of recreational opportunities and is popular with Cowetans — particularly those who live nearby.

124 Coweta Living 2016-17

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camps run during the summer.

Clubs and classes, which are most commonly led by people who have been assigned by the Coweta County Parks and Recreation Department, are offered at all the complexes, and sports teams are instructed by volunteers, employees of the department and other nonprofit organizations.

Grantville, Senoia and Sharpsburg feature youth and adult sports leagues through local athletic associations.

Upward Sports provides opportunities with basketball, flag football, volleyball, baseball, soccer and cheerleading for Christian athletes in Coweta.

For creative people looking to get involved, Coweta has music, pottery, art and dance available year-round.

Both the Newnan Recreation Center and Hunter Complex extend unique opportunities to participate in a variety of activities, including dog obedience classes for pet owners, and exercise and Zumba fitness courses.

The county is also in the beginning stages of building another recreation complex outside the city limits of Senoia that is set to be completed by December 2017.

Grantville Park, along with the Central Soccer Fields, has received a new walking trail, as well. “[We are] trying to keep up with supply and demand and the way we handle it. Of course, everybody wants something in their own backyard, but that’s not really feasible. If you build them, they should come to them,” said McKnight. CL

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Get back to nature at local parks

WRITTEN BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL

126 Coweta Living 2016-17

The nearly 3,000-acre park along the Chattahoochee River was more than 10 years in the making, and finally opened to the public in July 2011.

Since its opening, the park’s offerings have steadily expanded. The Friends of Chattahoochee Bend State Park have been working to build more and more hiking trails, and the park’s first mountain bike trail has now opened. Equestrian trails are in the future, as is a paved trail that will be built by Coweta County with a grant.

Though Chattahoochee Bend is the only state park in our area, there are several other parks in surrounding counties that offer great nature experiences: Cochran Mill Park in Chattahoochee Hills, McIntosh Reserve in Whitesburg, John Tanner Park (also known as Tanner Beach) outside Carrollton and Line Creek Nature Area, just over the Fayette County line in Peachtree City.

For a smaller nature experience, there is the Jim McGuffey Nature Center at the Coweta County Fairgrounds, 275 Pine Rd. The area includes a small pond, short trails and benches. There is no charge for entry.

Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Senoia’s Marimac Lakes Park includes several lakes, a grassy lawn, walking trail and the stone lodge available for rental.

It’s a popular fishing spot. Fishing is free for city residents. Others can purchase a fishing license for $40 for the year or $10 a day.

Chattahoochee Bend offers hiking, bicycle, canoe and kayak rentals, a variety of camping options, shady picnic spots, pavilions and playgrounds, along several miles of road frontage. The park is open daily and there is a store and visitor’s center. The park’s naturalist puts on multiple programs per month, and there are dozens of geocaches throughout the park.

There are two campgrounds for campers in tents, which include walk-in tent sites. There are two sets of platform tent sites along the river, which offer a more primitive experience with no power or

HEALTH & FITNESS

Coweta’s Chattahoochee Bend State Park is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

Chattahoochee Bend State Park (top two photos) in Coweta County, and McIntosh Reserve Park across the river in Carroll County, both feature river access, a network of hiking trails, picnic areas and camping.

Coweta Living 2016-17 127

HEALTH & FITNESS water hookups. On the southern end, the platform sites are just a short walk from the parking lot – and a bathhouse with showers. The north end platform sites are accessed either from the river or by a several mile hike. There is also the Adirondack-style group camp.

The park has more than 11 miles of hiking trails over multiple types of terrain. There is the river trail along the river, which accesses an observation tower and the north platform campsites, overland trails through woodlands and along creeks and the Flat Rock Trail which traverses the park’s iconic granite outcrop areas.

For more information about Chattahoochee Bend, visit GaStateParks. org/ChattahoocheeBend or call the park office at 770-254-7271. Visit bendfriend.com for more information about volunteer opportunities.

Cochran Mill Park, located on Cochran Mill Road in Chattahoochee Hills, features extensive trails, several creeks for splashing, a playground, pavilion and picnic areas. The Cochran Mill Nature Center is nearby and features a variety animals.

Line Creek Nature Area, located on Hwy. 54 in Peachtree City, has the creek, trails, picnic areas and a small lake.

McIntosh Reserve is the former home of Creek Indian Chief William McIntosh. It is the site of his grave, and there is a log cabin on the site similar to the one McIntosh would have lived in. The park is along the Chattahoochee River and features several campsites without hookups, an extensive trail system including horse trails, picnic areas, a river overlook, boat ramp, two small fishing lakes, a large pavilion for events and a splash park. It’s located on West McIntosh Circle near Whitesburg, just off Ga. Hwy. 5.

John Tanner Park, at 354 Tanners Beach Rd., Carrollton, features swimming in the lake, with a wide sandy beach, campground, lodge, lakeside paved walking trail and a few hotel-like rooms.

The McGuffey Nature Center and Line Creek Nature Area are free, while the other parks require a small parking fee per vehicle. CL 128 Coweta Living 2016-17

Cochran Mill Park in Chattahoochee Hills has an old mill pond, now breached, many miles of trails, and multiple creeks with waterfalls.

Nearby is the Cochran Mill Nature Center.

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Coweta Living 2016-17 129

EDUCATION 130 Coweta Living 2016-17

EDUCATION

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Libraries offer programs, computers, lectures, books

The Carnegie in downtown Newnan isn’t quite your typical library.

There are computers for public use, numerous programs, and “honor books” that people can check out and return as they please. Amy Mapel is director.

Coweta County’s libraries offer computers for people to apply for a job or do research for a class.

There are programs for children with stories, music and crafts.

Lectures on literary and historical topics are sprinkled on library calendars.

And, yes, you can find some interesting books there, too.

“Libraries have been about more than books for a while now,” observed Amy Mapel, director of the Carnegie in downtown Newnan.

“Technology has permeated our society and is a fundamental part of daily life. As such, libraries must keep pace with our community’s needs.”

The Carnegie has an “honor book” system, where visitors borrow books and return them at their leisure.

The Coweta Public Library System operates four facilities, Central Library off Lower Fayetteville Road near its intersection with Highway 154; the Powell Library on Hospital Road in Newnan; and branches in Grantville and Senoia.

“Print books still make up the great majority of our circulation,” said Jimmy Bass, CPLS director, “but the usage of public computers continues to grow exponentially.”

WRITTEN BY W. WINSTON SKINNER | PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL Coweta Living 2016-17 131

EDUCATION Solomon Cayetano, here with Children’s Library Associate Meagan Adair, is a frequent visitor to Coweta’s Central Library.

Local citizens “looking for jobs or pursuing degrees or work credits make up a growing number of our users,” Bass said. He said the CPLS eBook circulation is growing.

“This collection takes time to build — due to cost — but the numbers are definitely going upward,” Bass added.

132 Coweta Living 2016-17

The fact that people are accessing information using various platforms creates its own need for information.

“We advise a good bit on how to use devices. There is so much out there, we are trying to focus on the biggest and best technology that is desired by our customers,” Bass said.

During 2015, more than 84,000 Cowetans held CPLS library cards.

This is the third-highest percentage of population with cards among 63 public library systems in Georgia.

There were 509,204 items checked out — books, DVD’s, CD’s, e-books.

CPLS held 345 programs for

A community is only as good as its schools. And great public schools are a big reason why Coweta County is a vibrant and enriching place to live. Coweta County Schools combine a small-town, community-based feel with big-city advantages and opportunities for our students.

“A passionate and caring school system dedicated to excellence, energized by the notion of family, and committed to the success of each student.”

That is how the AdvancED Accreditation Review Committee described the Coweta County School System, following their review for five-year re-accreditation of our schools in 2016. According to the independent team’s evaluation, Coweta Schools performed at much higher levels than the average for other AdvancEDaccredited learning institutions, in terms of teaching and learning, leadership capacity, and management of resources. That led AdvancED Lead Evaluator Dr. Steve Osborn to remark that “These are the highest scores I have ever seen.”

During the Coweta County School System’s re-accreditation process, school stakeholders – including students and parents, teachers and community members – described Coweta Schools in several ways:

“Student-Centered” “Nurturing”

“Caring”

“Rigorous”

“Amazing”

“Exceptional”

“Accountable”

“I would not want to be anywhere else.”

“Safe”

“Committed”

In the Coweta County School System, you will find schools among the top-performing in the state of Georgia and the nation: • Student SAT and ACT performance that exceeds state and national averages.

• High rates of participation in Advanced Placement, college dual-enrollment and work-based learning, the fine arts, and other advanced opportunities for students.

• Honors that include a Georgia School Boards Association Exemplary School Board, state financial awards, Washington Post “Most Challenging High Schools” and US News and World Report “Nation’s Best High Schools” distinctions, and the Center for American Progress’ “Best Return on Educational Investment” distinction.

From academics to the arts to athletics – from college prep to career readiness – Coweta County Schools are committed to ensuring the success of every student. We invite you to visit our schools, tour the Central Educational Center College and Career Academy, or attend a performance at our Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. See for yourself why great schools are at the heart of our Coweta community.

To learn more, go to cowetaschools.net, or call 770-254-2800.

To enroll a new student, call our Central Registration Center at 770-254-5551.

Coweta Living 2016-17 133

EDUCATION Books are still the lifeblood of libraries, but Coweta Library Director Jimmy Bass, above, is excited about a new system that will allow online streaming. Below, Nolan McPeters and grandmother Lorraine Burt share a story in the children’s section at Central.

134 Coweta Living 2016-17

children, teens and adults. Program attendance exceeded 21,000, Bass said.

The Carnegie has been a downtown landmark since 1903. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie provided funds for the building after getting a letter from a young man from Newnan, Charles Longino Thompson. For about 25 years the building was used for offices and courtrooms, but in 2006, the building became a library once more.

In 2015, there were 389 programs at the Carnegie — “with 12,102 attendees,” Mapel said.

There were 31,760 visitors, 6,619 computer uses and 13,249 honor books circulated.

The upstairs meeting room is rented for baby showers, weddings, birthday parties and business meetings — as well as being used for library programs. The Carnegie also maintains the city store with apparel, bags, drinkware, Frisbees, pens/pencils, blankets, pins and flash drives featuring the city’s logo.

Since many library users want to go online these days, there are constant efforts to keep up with advances in technology. CPLS “continues to upgrade its facilities and technology to better meet current and future needs,” Bass said.

Replacing equipment with an eye toward “faster service and greater adaptability for new technology” is a goal, Bass said, and online subscription services that patrons want are added from time-to-time.

CPLS is also working to implement science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, type programming using 3-D printers and HP Sprout computers, Bass said.

For both Mapel and Bass, the goal is to serve the libraries’ patrons.

“At the Carnegie we offer e-books, free scanning services to replace expensive faxing, computer access with extensive download capability, future programming with (digital-to-digital) technology, and meeting space with (audio-visual) equipment,” Mapel said.

“We still provide service, whether it is the traditional — like helping find a book or leading a storytime — and tech-oriented like online job searches or continuing-education database assistance,” Bass said. “No matter the need, it is still all about the service.” CL

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Coweta Living 2016-17 135

EDUCATION

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Cathe Nixon is the new director of the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. She follows in the footsteps of her late husband, Don, who set up the center and was at the helm for 13 years.

PHOTO BY WANDA CARROLL

Cathe Nixon continuing Don’s legacy at Centre Communities are defined by the

uniqueness within them.

For San Francisco, it is the architecture of the Golden Gate Bridge. For New York, it’s the bright lights and voices of a Broadway show.

For New Orleans, it’s the birth of jazz music.

The common link is art. The heart of the city is a thriving art outlet. For Coweta, it is the Centre

for Performing and Visual arts. For new director Cathe Nixon, it isn’t just about keeping the art alive, but keeping the vision of the former director, her late husband Don Nixon, alive as well.

On July 1, Cathe officially assumed the role of director for the Coweta County Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. For the past 13 years, Nixon held the position of school WRITTEN BY MOLLY STASSFORT

136 Coweta Living 2016-17

nutrition director for the Coweta County schools. She finished this role at the end of the 2015-2016 school year, but for a short period, her two roles overlapped, creating a less transitional and more chaotic period for her.

“Right now, I’m finishing my role in the school food program and trying to take on the Centre completely,” she said. “It’s been a little crazy,

was appointed as nutrition director for the school system, and Don was recommended for the role of director of the new arts center. The Centre opened in April 2004, with Don presiding. Funded by a local sales tax and generous local donations, the Centre created an additional outlet for the Coweta County School System’s arts programs. Cathe has worked alongside Don since his appointment, volunteering at the Centre every chance she got.

His distinctive vision for the Centre was for it to be “an extension of the classroom no matter the age of the student.”

For 13 years, Don worked at the Centre before passing away in February after battling acute myeloid leukemia for eight months.

The Coweta County superintendent,

Steve Barker, and the school board then faced the decision of finding a replacement willing to put as much heart and effort into that position as Don had.

Barker chose Cathe to fulfill the role, not only because he believed in her abilities to carry out Don’s mission, but also because of her past leadership role within the school system. He made this decision final with Cathe’s appointment on April 1, 2016.

“We are delighted that Cathe Nixon has been appointed the Director of the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts by the Coweta County Board of Education!” boasted the Centre’s Facebook page the same day.

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EDUCATION

but things are beginning to fall into place.”

Originally from Abingdon, Va., Cathe earned her bachelor’s degree in home economics from Carson Newman College in 1978. She then earned her master’s degree in child development from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1980.

Cathe was the minister of education and children at Parkview Baptist Church and Northminster Church in Louisiana. She went on to work as an associate pastor and children’s minister at Willow Meadows Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, for six years where Don was also an associate pastor as well as worship minister. The couple and their daughter, Jordan, then relocated to Coweta County in 2003.

Once the family relocated, Cathe

EDUCATION

PHOTO BY JAMES JOHNSON

The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts, left, sits on the same tract as the Newnan Centre, right, a convention facility. The arts center belongs to the Coweta County Board of Education, while the convention venue is a city project.

from nutrition to performing arts director is not solely a title change.

She is learning to actively take on a leadership role at the Centre rather than her former voluntary one.

“This is a definite period of transition for the Centre because of this change in leadership,” she said.

“The plan is to continue what Don had planned while continuing this transition into the future.

“Transitioning can definitely be a challenge, but these challenges serve as opportunities for growth for the Centre. It’s almost not really a transition anymore because we are continuing Don’s vision. The transition is the staffing rather than the vision, really.”

Although Nixon has officially made director her sole title now, she still says the transition period is occurring. Her focus, however, now is solely on the Centre.

“The vision and success here have been extraordinary, and I plan to continue and embrace that while also taking the Centre to the next level of success. The Centre staff and I are 138 Coweta Living 2016-17

working very hard to move toward an exciting 2016-2017 season for students to come embrace the stage and other opportunities we have here.”

Since its inception, the Centre has hosted an array of showmanship, from school productions to locally cast plays, as well as local pageants, concerts from school bands and traveling acts and art camps during the summer.

“Because the Centre functions as an extension of the classroom, it allows students, patrons and citizens of the county to continue learning, as well as bringing in new master classes.”

The rare moments she isn’t at the Centre, Cathe is highly involved at Central Baptist Church, where she and Don attended with their daughter for most of their years in Coweta.

Even when she’s not at the Centre though, she is still actively looking for ways to push its greatness into the next level, not just for the staff’s sake, but the community’s.

“I’ve always had a lot of

memberships for education and nutrition programming in the past, but now I’ve moved more towards academic and professional art memberships. I see myself as a community member, not just a director, and a member who wants to bring excellence into where I live.”

Cathe strives to keep this “house of excellence” a staple arts program for the Coweta area. By extending, not replacing, Don’s vision for the city and the Centre, Cathe is able to not only fulfill the current goals for the facility, but create a legacy of her own into the community. As much as the community commends her hard work, she credits everything to teamwork.

“The most fortunate part of all of this for me is the supportive, encouraging friends I have with me along the way, as well as the excellent staff teams at the Centre. It truly is a team effort of support and encouragement to get through this time.” CL

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EDUCATION

Q & A with...

Lara Hrinko Carolyn Barron Montessori School

How long have you been involved with education?

I've been in the Montessori education field for 17 years. I initially discovered Montessori as a parent first, then increasingly wanted to know more. I volunteered often at my children's school, which was CBMS at the time, and eventually took a position as an assistant teacher ‌ For the past 11 years, I have continued my journey with Montessori education, and found myself back at CBMS in the position of Head of School. I will begin my fourth year as the director this fall, and am so excited to see what this new school year has in store for CBMS.

What do you try to give the employees and students at the school?

All of CBMS's faculty and staff are highly regarded in the education field, with the majority of our faculty having extensive Montessori training and experience. It is important to me as well as to our faculty and staff that we all work as

a team. There are decisions to be made every day, so every day I check in and consult with the teachers and administration staff. We work collaboratively with each other, supporting one another, building strong relationships. I give them respect.

For our CBMS students, I also give respect. It's important for me and all adults to model the grace and courtesies of life and show appropriate behavior. I show them patience and kindness, I listen to them, I help to guide them and I give them my time.

What sets CBMS apart from other schools in the county and the state?

The first thing that comes to mind is that we are the only Montessori school in Coweta County, and this has been true for over 20 years.

Being a Montessori school makes us unique and sets us apart because of the way we educate our students from toddler to middle school. We understand child development so well that we know these children WRITTEN BY CELIA SHORTT

140 Coweta Living 2016-17

need at least three to four years with the same teacher in order for the teacher to really get to know the child and bond ‌ Children also need the freedom to move, explore and discover on their own with appropriate guidance from the teacher. The classrooms are open and much like a home environment.

There is also an outdoor learning environment of gardens. The communities are child-centered, so when you walk into the classroom, all of the furniture and shelves are their size, and they are beautiful.

What is the most fulfilling part of working in the education field for you?

When I see and talk to a former Montessori alumni student who is about to graduate from high school, and has matured into an intelligent, articulate, self-confident, motivated, respectful and kind young adult, they remind me of the gift of time and attention, and that they are all so unique in themselves, that all children deserve an education uniquely tailored to them.

Q & A with...

Bob Heaberlin University of West Georgia 1. How long have you been involved in education?

This year begins my 45th year in education. From 19722013 I spent 41 years in K-12 education as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. During that time, I served as a principal and teacher at all three levels of K-12. For the past three years I have been employed at the University of West Georgia as an assistant professor in the Educational Leadership Program and in 2014 I was named the senior director and chief administrator for the External Degree and Off Campus Programs at the UWG Newnan Center.

2. What do you try to give the employees and students at UWG?

As the senior director and chief administrative officer at UWG Newnan, our staff’s number one mission is to provide quality customer service to students, university instructors, professors, and staff.

3. What sets UWG apart from the other colleges in the state?

Although UWG has grown in size to almost 13,000 students, it still has the feel of a hometown university. There are several thousand alumni of West Georgia College, the State University of West Georgia, and now the University of West Georgia living in Coweta County … The opening of the UWG Newnan Center on Jackson Street at the old Newnan Hospital has shown that UWG is committed to serving and meeting the needs of commuter students and non-traditional students from around the area who are seeking degrees.

4. What is the most fulfilling part of education for you?

The most fulfilling part of education for me over 45 years is providing an opportunity for students to become successful at school and transfer this success to their everyday lives.

As an administrator, I strived to insure that the staff and faculty had the resources to make students successful.

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The University of West Georgia’s dual enrollment program makes it possible. You can take classes at our new Newnan location with traditional, online, and hybrid options. Core college classes in English, math, science, and more can be worked into your school schedule. Finish the first 2 years of your college degree before you graduate from high school.

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Coweta Living 2016-17 141

EDUCATION

Q & A with...

Coweta County Private/Charter School Contact Information Private Schools Central Christian School (Formerly Heritage Christian School) 3613 Highway 34 East Sharpsburg, GA 30277 770-252-1234 The Heritage School 2093 Highway 29 North Newnan, GA 30263 (770) 253-9898 Trinity Christian School Main Campus 8817 Highway 54 West Sharpsburg, GA 30277 (770) 251-6770 Trinity Christian School Crossroads Campus 2564 Highway 154 Newnan, GA 30265

Charter Schools Coweta Charter Academy 6675 GA-16 Senoia, GA 30276 (770) 599-0228 Odyssey Charter School 14 St. John Cir. Newnan, GA 30265 (770) 251-6111

Steve Barker Coweta County School System Dr. Steve Barker has served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal at Coweta County elementary, middle and high schools during his career. Since 2011, he has been superintendent of the Coweta County School System.

How long have you worked in education?

I started in 1990 as a teacher and coach at Evans Middle School.

So I have worked for 26 years in education, all of them in Coweta County.

What do you try to give your employees and students in the Coweta County School System?

My primary goal is always to maximize our resources … to give teachers the tools they need to be successful in the classroom and to provide our students with a world-class education, and give all of our students the opportunities and support they need for future success. One of the ways I try to do that is by nurturing a strong sense of mission and vision for our school system and our stakeholders and keep our system truly focused on ensuring the success of each student.

What sets the Coweta County School System apart from other systems in the state?

When the AdvancED evaluation 142 142 Coweta Coweta Living Living 2016-17 2016-17

team visited our community this year and conducted our accreditation review, they interviewed hundreds of local stakeholders as a part of their process. One of the words they heard time and time again — from students and teachers, parents, business and community leaders — was family. They kept hearing about a very strong sense of family in our school communities, among employees and colleagues, and strong support of and focus on families by our schools and employees.

What is the most fulfilling part of your job for you?

Our students come first in everything we do, and seeing students succeed is fulfilling for me. But beyond that, being a part of a team effort and watching others succeed is a great feeling. Seeing the people around you — teachers, support staff, board members, partners — experience success at a high professional level, through their dedication and energy, and all for the benefit of our students, is a great part of my job. CL

A UGA degree is closer than you think. ®

Coweta County School System Contact Information Coweta County School System P.O. Box 280 Newnan, GA 30264 770-254-2800 www.cowetaschools.org @cowetaschools Coweta County Board of Education Frank Farmer (At-Large), Board Chairman (frank.farmer@cowetaschools.org) Larry Robertson (At-Large), Vice-Chairman (larry.robertson@cowetaschools.org) Amy Dees (1st District) (amy.dees@cowetaschools.org) Sue L. Brown (2nd District) (sue.brown@cowetaschools.org) Beth Barnett (3rd District) (beth.barnett@cowetaschools.org) Linda Menk (4th District) (linda.menk@cowetaschools.org) Winston Dowdell (5th District) (winston.dowdell@cowetaschools.org)

Board of Education and Superintendent’s Office 770-254-2801 237 Jackson St. Newnan, GA 30263 Superintendent Steve Barker Assistant Superintendent Marc Guy Assistant Superintendent (Finance) Keith Chapman Public Information, School Nurses, After-School Program School System Central Office 770-254-2800 (School System Main Directory) 167 Werz Industrial Drive Newnan, GA 30263 Assistant Superintendent Vince Bass Central Registration Center 770-254-5551 Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, Student Services, School Records, Instructional Technology, Business Services, Payroll and Benefits, Personnel School System Operations Office 770-254-2750 140 and 170 Werz Industrial Drive Newnan, GA 30263 Operations and School Safety Director Doug Moore Warehouse, Maintenance, School Nutrition, Construction

(continued)

Undergraduate programs

to oday isit! t l l a C v ule a sched

o Agribusiness o Agricultural Education o Biological Science o Consumer Economics o Environmental Resource Science o Food Industry Marketing & Administration o General Business o Interdisciplinary Studies – Psychology o Interdisciplinary Studies – Sociology o Microbiology o Special Education

Graduate programs o Agricultural & Environmental Education o Mathematics Education o Student Affairs Leadership o Workforce Education

www.griffin.uga.edu 770.412.4400 The University of Georgia is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.

EDUCATION

Centre for Performing and Visual Arts 770-254-2787 1523 Lower Fayetteville Rd. Newnan, GA 30263

Transportation Office and Bus Garage 770-254-2820 105 Cofield Drive Newnan, GA 30263

Coweta County Elementary School Schools Arbor Springs Elementary School 770-463-5903 4840 N. Highway 29 Newnan, GA 30265 Arnco-Sargent Elementary School 770-254-2830 2449 W. Highway 16 Newnan, GA 30263 Atkinson Elementary School 770-254-2835 14 Nimmons St. Newnan, GA 30263 Brooks Elementary School 770-683-0013 35 Genesee Point Newnan, GA 30263 Canongate Elementary School 770-463-8010 200 Petes Rd. Sharpsburg 30277 Eastside Elementary School 770-599-6621 1225 Eastside School Rd. Senoia, GA 30276 Elm Street Elementary School 770-254-2865 46 Elm St. Newnan, GA 30263 Glanton Elementary School 770-583-2873 5725 Highway 29 Grantville, GA 30220 Jefferson Parkway Elementary School 770-254-2771 154 Farmer Industrial Blvd.

Newnan, GA 30263

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Moreland Elementary School 770-254-2875 145 Railroad St. Moreland, GA 30259

Evans Middle School 770-254-2780 41 Evans Drive Newnan, GA 30263

Newnan Crossing Elementary School 770-254-2872 1267 Lower Fayetteville Rd. Newnan, GA 30265

Lee Middle School 770-251-1547 370 Willis Rd. Sharpsburg, GA 30277

Northside Elementary School 770-254-2890 720 Country Club Rd. Newnan, GA 30263 Poplar Road Elementary School 770-254-2740 2925 Poplar Rd. Sharpsburg, GA 30277 Ruth Hill Elementary School 770-254-2895 Sunset Lane Newnan, GA 30263 Thomas Crossroads Elementary School 770-254-2751 3530 E. Highway 34 Sharpsburg, GA 30277 Welch Elementary School 770-254-2597 240 Mary Freeman Rd. Newnan, GA 30265 Western Elementary School 770-254-2790 1730 Welcome Rd. Newnan, GA 30263 White Oak Elementary School 770-254-2860 770 Lora Smith Rd. Newnan, GA 30265 Willis Road Elementary School 770-304-7995 430 Willis Rd. Sharpsburg, GA 30277

Coweta County Middle Schools Arnall Middle School 770-254-2765 700 Lora Smith Rd. Newnan, GA 30265 East Coweta Middle School 770-599-6607 6291 E. Highway 16 Senoia, GA 30276

Madras Middle School 770-254-2744 240 Edgeworth Rd. Newnan, GA 30263 Smokey Road Middle School 770-254-2840 965 Smokey Rd. Newnan, GA 30263 Alternative Middle School 770-304-5930 Maggie Brown School 32 Clark St. Newnan, GA 30263

Coweta County High Schools East Coweta High School 770-254-2850 400 Sharpsburg-McCollum Rd. Sharpsburg, GA 30277 Newnan High School 770-254-2880 190 LaGrange St. Newnan, GA 30263 Northgate High School 770-463-5585 3220 Fischer Rd. Newnan, GA 30265 Central Educational Center 678-423-2000 160 Martin Luther King Drive Newnan, GA 30263 Alternative High School 770-254-2870 Winston Dowdell Academy 1 Dowdell St. Newnan, GA 30263 Westside/Burwell 770-254-2877 106 Westside School Rd. Newnan, GA 30263

Maximizing

BREWTON-PARKER COLLEGE

Potential

NEWNAN

Maximizes

SUCCESS

For Children With Learning Differences

Grades 1-9 • Sports • Small classes • Ability Grouping Challenge Course • 45 Acre Campus in Fairburn

NOW Y L P AP

Ages 6-15 • 4 Week Summer Day Program Academic Tutoring • Camp Recreational Activities Held at The Bedford School

5665 Milam Rd. Fairburn, GA 30213 • 770-774-8001 • www.thebedfordschool.org The Bedford School is accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools, and has been approved by the Georgia Department of Education to receive the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship (SB10) For more information contact Dr. Betsy Box. The Bedford School maintains a non-discriminatory policy concerning admissions, employment, use of facilities or scholarships on the basis of sex, race, color, religion or national origin.

Why Brewton-Parker?

Brewton-Parker?

Why •

Christian Worldview

•• Students Christian Worldview First •• Diverse Classes Scheduled Eight (8) Week Format StudentinBody •• Close DiverseRelationships Student Body •• Caring, Close Relationships Christian Educators • Caring, Christian Educators

Programs of Programs of Study Study

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Business administration

• General Studies • Accounting Bachelor of Business Administration • General Business • General BusinessManagement • Health and Wellness • Health and Wellness Management • Information Systems • Information Systems • Management • Management Bachelor of of ministry Bachelor Ministry

Coweta Living is distributed at • The Newnan Times-Herald • Coweta County Welcome Center • and various locations across the county

cowetaliving.com

Fully accredited

by Southern Association Associate of Arts of Colleges and Schools

Classes held at unity Baptist church Classes held at Unity Baptist (Administration Building) Church (Administration 322 smokeyBuilding) road 311 Smokey Road newnan , GeorGia 30263 Newnan, Georgia 30263

BREWTON-PARKER COLLEGE

(770)683-3245 683-3245 Tim Hammett thammett@bpc.edu (770) Coweta Living 2016-17 145 Amanda Sexton asexton@bpc.edu www.bpc.edu/newnan www.bpc.edu/newnan Dr. Steven Echols, President

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N Newnan Parks

Ray Park features a picturesque walking bridge.

The city of Newnan has provided several different parks for its residents and visitors to enjoy •

Ray Park is an almost two-acre park located along Spring Street and Ray Circle. It features a pavilion, a playground, a pedestrian crosswalk, a walking trail and public restrooms. It also has four tennis courts and two open, grassy areas with spectator seating. Limited parking is available along the road.

•

Greenville Street Park is on the south side of Newnan between Greenville Street and LaGrange Street. It is within walking distance of the city’s historic downtown area. A feature of the park is the 25 columns at the park’s entrance and its two art sculptures — one by Atlanta artist Martin Dawe and other by local artist Carol Harless. The park also has a terraced lawn area, a small amphitheatre, a water fountain, brick plazas, covered pavilion, walking paths and benches. In addition, it has a single, family-style restroom, for men and women.

•

First Avenue Park is located on First Avenue near the historic Greenville/LaGrange historic residential district.

The neighborhood park is 3.5 acres and is designed for play and exercise. In addition to men’s and women’s WRITTEN BY CELIA SHORTT

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First Avenue Park in Newnan includes a playground for children and visitors to enjoy.

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COUNT/CITIES The entrance to First Avenue Park is located on First Avenue near the Greenville/LaGrange historic residential district.

restrooms, its features include: covered pavilions, an enclosed playground area, a grassed multi-purpose field and a system of paved walkways.

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•

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Lynch Park is a six-acre neighborhood park and is located along Wesley Street and Richard Allen Drive, directly across the street from the Boys and Girls Club. It is named for Willie Lynch, a former Newnan City Council member. Its features include: restrooms, playground equipment, grassed field, large covered pavilion, the Lynch Park Pool and Pickett Field.

C.J. Smith Park is a five-acre park on Farmer Street in Newnan. Its two sections include a softball field and the Coweta County African American Heritage Museum and Research Center. The field is the home of the adult softball teams, sponsored by Coweta County.

Cranford Park is an almost three quarters of an acre neighborhood recreational park on Jackson Street. It is a half mile north

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of Highway 34 and backs up to Oak Hill Cemetery. Its features include brick and concrete walkways and benches.

• The city park at Temple Avenue and Jackson Street is a two and a half acre, passive recreational park. Its features include a small gazebo available for weddings, a large triangular water fountain, paved walkways, open grass areas for seating and benches.

One of its prominent features is the Veteran’s Memorial, located at the east side of the park.

It is a place for veterans, family members and local citizens to gather on Memorial Day and Veterans Day each year.

•

Westgate Park is located at the end of West Park Court. It houses a fenced baseball/ softball field, bleachers and a concessions facility.

For information on reserving a city park, contact Newnan’s Community Development Department at 770-253-2682 or email it at planning@ cityofnewnan.org. CL

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New to Coweta?

Here’s the 411 All Cowetans, whether they live in the cities or unincorporated county, will use Coweta County services.

The Coweta County Tag Office is the place to register vehicles; everybody pays taxes to the Coweta County Tax Commissioner — and you might pay taxes to your city there, too.

You can register to vote and do in-person early voting with the Coweta County Voter Registration Office, and you get birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses and gun permits from Coweta County Probate Court. And if you happen to get arrested, you’ll be put in the Coweta County Jail.

While Senoia, Newnan, and Grantville have their own municipal courts for traffic offenses and minor violations, most legal issues are dealt with in Coweta courts: either Coweta Magistrate Court (small civil suits, landlord/tenant issues, warrants), Coweta State Court (misdemeanors, traffic offenses and civil suits) and Coweta Superior Court (felonies, divorces, child support, adoptions, name changes, civil suits).

All three courts are located at the Coweta County Justice Center, 72 Greenville St., Newnan.

The Coweta County Tax Commissioner’s Office, Coweta County Tag Office, and Coweta Tax Assessor’s Office are side-by-side in the Coweta Administration Building, located

WRITTEN BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL | PHOTOGRAPHED BY BETH NEELY

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COUNT/CITIES The Coweta County Administration Building, at 22 East Broad Street in downtown Newnan, is the home of most of the important county offices that residents will need to visit — including the Coweta County Tag Office.

at 22 East Broad St., Newnan. All three are located on the Perry Street side of the building.

The tax commissioner’s office is where you pay your property taxes and file for homestead exemptions. You can also file a “property tax return” if you disagree with the value on your real or personal property.

You can find more information at www.

CowetaTaxCom.com.

Another way to disagree with the tax value placed on your property is to file an appeal with the Coweta Tax Assessor’s Office. The Tax Assessor’s Office sets the value for all real property in the county, and maintains property tax records and maps.

The tax assessors website, www.CowetaTax. com, has a wealth of searchable information 150 Coweta Living 2016-17

on property tax values, tax maps and sales of property in Coweta County. Each year, property owners will receive a notice of tax assessment, stating the tax value that the assessors have put on the properties.

The tag office is where you register your vehicles and pick up new tags. Newcomers to Georgia should be aware that they will likely face a hefty tax bill when registering their vehicles in the state for the first time.

Under Georgia’s Title Ad Valorem Tax, which took effect in 2013, owners of vehicles being registered in Georgia for the first time must pay the TAVT, which is set at 7 percent of the vehicle’s value — as determined by the Georgia Department of Revenue. The condition, mileage or upgraded equipment are not taken into account when the DOR determines the value.

However, if you think that the state-determined value is not accurate for your vehicle, you can appeal. Classic cars have a base value and are not taxed on their collectible value.

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New Georgians have the option of paying 50 percent of the tax due at the time the vehicle is registered, with the remaining portion due within 12 months. After you pay your TAVT, you won’t have to pay annual ad valorem taxes on your vehicle, just a yearly tag fee. Tags expire on the vehicle owner’s birthday.

Before you can register your vehicle, or renew your tag, you pass an emissions inspection — or be exempt — and proof of insurance. Vehicles that are 25 years old or older are exempt from emissions requirements.

Once your vehicle is registered, you can renew your tag online or by phone, or come into the office. You can renew at mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags or by calling 877-496-0249. You can find more information at www.CowetaTaxCom.com .

In addition to registering your vehicle when you move into Coweta, you’re required by law to change your address on your driver’s license.

The local Department of Driver’s Services office is located at 128 Bullsboro Dr., in the Food Depotanchored shopping center. You can change your address or renew your license at any DDS office in the state, and there are also a number of online options at www.dds.ga.gov . The office is open Tuesday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There are many ways to register to vote, including online, in person and by mail. If you’ve recently moved to Coweta — or moved within the county — you’ll need to update your voter registration with your new address. Voters who have moved from one location in Coweta to another can vote in one election at their old address, if they haven’t updated their registration.

But if you’ve moved from another county, you’ll need to update before the voter registration deadline.

You can get all the info you need at the Coweta Voter Registration Office, at 22 East Broad St. You can register online and check the status of your registration by visiting www.sos.ga.gov and clicking on “elections.”

As of 2016, there are now two early voting locations. Early voting is held at the voter registration office, and at the Central Community Center, located at 65 Literary Lane, Newnan. Early voting typically begins 15 days prior to an election.

If you prefer to vote a paper ballot by mail, you can

The 1904 Courthouse is the home to the Coweta County Visitor’s Center and Coweta County Probate Court — your source for birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses and gun permits.

get more information from the voter registration office.

Coweta County Probate Court is located in the 1904 Courthouse on the Court Square in downtown Newnan. The state of Georgia now has a computerized system for vital records, so most people can get copies of their birth certificates from the Coweta Probate Court, as long as they were born in Georgia. Most death certificates from Georgia are also available. In addition to birth and death certificates, marriage license and gun permits, probate court also deals with estates, wills and trusts, as well as “guardianship” situations and involuntary committals.

Also located in the 1904 Courthouse is the Coweta County Visitor’s Center where there’s a wealth of information about Coweta and the surrounding areas. CL Coweta Living 2016-17 151

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C

Coweta’s small towns Turin in the spotlight with birthday, Barbies, movie

Many Coweta County residents live in one of the county’s smaller towns.

Newnan is by far the largest city in the county with 37,291 residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau calculations. Next are Senoia with 4,073 and Grantville with 3,183. Palmetto actually has 4,733 residents, but most of them are in Fulton County. Only a sliver of the town is in Coweta.

The remaining municipalities all have fewer than 500 residents — Moreland, 422; Sharpsburg, 354; Turin, 343; and Haralson, 174. Both Grantville and Haralson straddle the county line on the south — with some residents of both towns living in Meriwether County.

Turin is the second-smallest of Coweta’s towns, but it has been in the news this past year. Turin celebrated its 125th birthday in August 2015. When the skies unleashed

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152 Coweta Living 2016-17

COUNTY / CITIES The Walter B. Hill School, built with funds from the Rosenwald Foundation, is now Turin's city hall. It is used for a variety of gatherings, including weddings and receptions.

Destiny George and Steven Head got married on the grounds of the building on June 26 and then held their reception at the Hill building.

PHOTO BY JAMES JOHNSON

The tractor parade and pull has been a tradition for several years in Turin — celebrating the town's agrarian past and current small-town friendliness.

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a summer shower, umbrellas went up, and the celebration continued.

“The rain didn’t dampen our spirits in the least,” said Corille Hudson, whose mother, Ella Hill Johnson, was one of the town’s citizens who received honor during the day.

The East Coweta High School band and JROTC helped mark the milestone. While the national anthem played, 125 balloons were released.

The town council proclaimed Aug. 29 as Mrs. Ella Hill Johnson Day and Mrs. Alice Strozier Spear Day. Both Johnson and Spear are lifelong Cowetans.

Spear taught at Walter B. Hill School in the 1950s and later at East Coweta High School.

The Hill School was built during the Jim Crow era through a fund established by a SearsRoebuck executive. It has been restored and now houses Turin’s municipal offices.

Johnson has lived her entire 90-plus years in the local area — most of it in the town limits of Turin.

Artifacts from Turin’s history were on display for the anniversary celebration.

Antique farm equipment and the town’s original water meter — from the town’s first public well — were on view, and antique cars lined one street.

The anniversary celebration “has rekindled a sense of community,” said Michael Frnka, who was part of the panel planning the celebration. He is now on the city council.

People have lived in the Turin area since the early days of Coweta County’s history in the 1820s. The community was first called Preston, but the name was changed when the Savannah, Griffin and North Alabama Railroad came to the area.

Schoolchildren suggested the new name.

According to legend, they had been studying about Turin, Italy. Some stories suggest someone on the railroad work crew was an immigrant from Italy — which played into the children’s interest in the Italian city’s name.

Turin was one of Georgia’s top cotton producing communities at the beginning of the 20th century. The town’s agricultural heritage is celebrated each summer when the Turin Tractor Pull is held. The 2015 event was

William B. Tinsley, grand marshal of Turin's tractor parade in 2015, shares a story from days gone by.

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Tractors are just part of Turin's history. The town was originally known as Preston and got a new name from schoolchildren who had been studying about Turin in Italy.

the 21st annual tractor-themed festival.

An antique-tractor parade started last year’s celebration. The grand marshal was William B. Tinsley.

Tractor owners competed in pulling events — in weight classes, from 3,000 to 12,500 pounds, and an open class. Highlights included the slow race and a pedal race for kids.

Awards were given for the best restored tractors, the best paint job, the most original and the ugliest tractor.

Turin also has drawn attention because of its quirky roadside attraction, Barbie Beach.

Lynda and Steve Quick have created tableaux at Barbie Beach, along Highway 16 for several years. The scenes often relate to current events or celebrations. Children sometimes stop to play with the Barbies, and now filmmakers have also discovered the spot.

“Barbie Beach,” a nine-minute documentary, was accepted into the “short film corner” at the

Cannes Film Festival in France in May. Courtney Dixon, the movie’s creator, grew up in the area and attended East Coweta High School.

With the film, Dixon said she wanted to “show people that there’s a story in everyone.”

“Turin is one of those places where you can ride your four wheeler, golf cart, dirt bike or horse down the road without much fuss,” Mayor Alan Starr observed. “We are still a small town, which I think we all appreciate greatly. Most people want to identify with something as far as where you are from. Turin gives us that platform, and I am proud to explain to anyone who isn’t quite sure—that we are that small place between Senoia and Newnan on 16.”

Frnka said a new subdivision, The Oaks at Turin, has been “integrated into the fabric and character of Turin.” Efforts “to accommodate the future growth” are centered on providing “stability and security as the residents enjoy the peaceful, relaxed lifestyle which is ideal for Coweta Living 2016-17 155

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family life,” he said.

Starr said he was talked into moving to Turin 20 years ago. “Now I can’t imagine a more perfect place to raise my family,” he said.

Palmetto, Senoia and Grantville have full-fledged city governments with police departments, utilities and other services.

Grantville and Palmetto have recreation programs, and all three have parks.

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There also is a park in Haralson. Sharpsburg has a historic core of downtown buildings that are now quaint shops, and Moreland is home to the Hometown Heritage Museum — which includes a tribute to writer and humorist Lewis Grizzard, as well as the Erskine Caldwell Birthplace and Museum and the God’s Little Acre demonstration garden. CL

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PHOTOS BY JAMES JOHNSON

Barbie Beach is a popular roadside attraction in Turin. Youngsters want to play with the dolls and accoutrements, while adults get a chuckle from the often snarky humor. A movie about Barbie Beach was recently screened at the famed Cannes Film Festival.

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Q & A with...

Hasco Craver IV Business Development Director — City of Newnan 1. Can you talk a little about what your department does?

The Business Development Department serves as a liaison between the private and public sector.

The department is focused on increasing the value of the city’s tax base, while maintaining a healthy and viable community.

The department’s guiding principles are: responsive and efficient government; competitive business climate; strategic policy and infrastructure investment; extraordinary quality of life; economic sustainability; and leadership and collaboration. The department’s goals are: retain and expand existing businesses; recruit quality employment and investment opportunities; catalyze and market Newnan’s competitive advantages; and improve capacity of business development.

2. What makes this area an appealing destination for families who are looking to relocate?

The city of Newnan offers newcomers an opportunity to find quality employment in an emerging market that embraces its cultural and historic heritage. The city’s distinctive personality is evident in its award-winning, admired and attractive historic downtown. The city is also home the regional shopping and lifestyle retail centers, which offer national and regional brands in open-air environments utilizing green space. The city’s downtown is bustling with executive and historic neighborhoods, inviting corporate centers and rich amenities.

3. What are some of your goals for the next five years?

While continuing to enhance its current assets, the city of Newnan strives to meet 21st century desires through the recruitment of corporate outfits and unique entrepreneurial businesses.

WRITTEN BY SARAH FAY CAMPBELL

158 Coweta Living 2016-17

City of Newnan

numbers to know

BEAUTIFICATION 770-254-2354 BUILDING 770-254-2362 CARNEGIE LIBRARY 770-683-1347 CEMETERY 770-253-3744 CITY CLERK 770-254-2358 CITY MANAGER 770-254-2358 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 770-254-2354

Michael Fouts County Administrator — Coweta County Board of Commissioners

ENGINEERING 770-253-0327 FACILITIES MAINTENANCE 678-673-5528 FINANCE 770-254-2351 FIRE 770-253-1851 GARAGE 770-253-0327 HUMAN RESOURCES 770-254-2358 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 770-254-2358 KEEP NEWNAN BEAUTIFUL 770-253-8283

1. Can you talk a little about what your department does?

The Coweta County Administration Office acts as the liaison between the board of commissioners and county departments, as well as the general public.

Policy decisions are channeled through this office for handling by the commissioners. Once approved, these decisions are implemented by the administrator’s office.

The responsibilities include fiscal management, human resources, and policy/ordinances for more than 40 departments.

2. What makes this area an appealing destination for families who are looking to relocate?

Coweta County is a distinctive place to live, work, play, raise a family, start a business or retire based on the outstanding educational opportunities, the quality of life provided through local partnerships, and efficient local government services.

Our residents create and maintain a healthy, safe, and vibrant community.

3. What are some of your goals for the next five years?

During the next five years, some of the external goals include ongoing customer-service training, consolidated development services, and continued investments in transportation. Evaluating the programs and services to ensure that we are providing cost-effective, high-quality services for our citizens is an annual goal.

MAIN STREET NEWNAN 770-253-8283 MAYOR 770-254-2358 PLANNING AND ZONING 770-254-2354 POLICE 770-254-2355 PUBLIC INFORMATION 770-254-2358 PUBLIC WORKS 770-253-0327 SANITATION 770-253-0327 STREET 770-253-0327

DEPARTMENT HEADS BEAUTIFICATION Mike Furbush

BUILDING Bill Stephenson

CEMETERY Jimmy Hemmings

KEEP NEWNAN BEAUTIFUL Page Beckwith

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR / MAIN STREET NEWNAN

CITY CLERK

Hasco W. Craver IV

Della Hill

MAYOR

CITY MANAGER

Keith Brady

Cleatus Phillips

PLANNING AND ZONING

ENGINEERING Michael Klahr

Tracy Dunnavant

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Mark Johnston

D. L. “Buster” Meadows

FINANCE

Gina L. Snider

Katrina Cline

FIRE David Whitley

HUMAN RESOURCES Meg Blubaugh

POLICE PUBLIC INFORMATION PUBLIC WORKS Michael Klahr

STREETS/ GARAGE/ SANITATION Deputy Public Works Ray Norton

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Jim Chambers

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Q & A with...

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City of Grantville

Q & A with...

numbers to know MAYOR Doug Jewell mayor@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 MAYOR PRO-TEM Leonard Gomez leonard.gomez@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 COUNCIL MEMBER William Kee willie.kee@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 COUNCIL MEMBER Ruby Hines ruby.hines@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 COUNCIL MEMBER David Riley david.riley@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 CITY MANAGER Al Grieshaber Jr. agrieshaber@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 ext. 215 CITY ATTORNEY Mark Mitchell smmitchell@mckeelaw.com 770-683-8900 McKee & Mitchell, LLC CITY CLERK Lynn Basham lbasham@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 ext. 202 POLICE CHIEF Steve Whitlock swhitlock@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 Emergencies Call 911 PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT Ron Owens rowens@grantvillega.org 770-583-2289 ext. 205 SENIOR CENTER Joann Byrom jbyrom@grantvillega.org 770-583-2706 SPLASH PARK 770-583-8935

City of Senoia

Richard Ferry Senoia City Manager 1. Can you talk a little about what your department does?

The city of Senoia is a full-service municipality that provides water, sewer, sanitation, parks and police services to the residents of the city.

2. What makes this area an appealing destination for families who are looking to relocate?

Senoia City Hall 80 Main St., Senoia 770-599-3679

Senoia is a great place to live and raise a family.

People looking to relocate to Senoia will find a small-town atmosphere, where family and quality of life are important. The city desires for all residents and visitors to feel safe and welcome whenever they are in town.

Senoia Police Department (non emergency) 505 Howard Rd., Senoia 770-599-3256

3. What are some of your goals for the next five years?

numbers to know

Senoia Downtown Development Authority/ Senoia Welcome Center www.enjoysenoia.com 68 Main St., Senoia 770-727-9173 Senoia Post Office 68 Broad St., Senoia 770-599-3251 Senoia Branch Library 148 Pylant St., Senoia 770-599-3537 Senoia Public Works Department Randy Padgett, director 770-599-3679

160 Coweta Living 2016-17

The city desires to continue the revival of downtown Senoia and to maintain its position as a tourism destination. The city will expand the downtown feeling to the commercial areas on Georgia Highways 16 and 85. The city will continue to connect the areas of town by expanding its multiuse path system. The city will expand its water and sewer capacity to accommodate the growth of the city. CL

numbers to know

Here are Coweta County government departments and contact numbers for various county buildings and facilities: Coweta County Animal Control 91 Selt Rd., Newnan 770-254-3725 Emergencies after 5 p.m.

770-254-3728 Coweta County Tag Office 22 East Broad St., Newnan 770-254-2631 Coweta County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency 560 Greison Trail, Newnan 770-253-1502 Coweta County Jail 560 Greison Trail, Newnan 770-253-1664 Coweta Sheriff’s Office Eastside Precinct 55 Literary Lane, Newnan 770-253-1502 Newnan-Coweta County Airport Whitlock Field 115 Airport Road, Newnan 770-254-8102 Coweta County Recreation Department • Main Office/Temple Avenue Complex 39 Hospital Rd., Newnan 770-254-3750 • Hunter Complex 2970 East Hwy. 16, Sharpsburg 770-254-3740 • Clay-Wood Center 135 Heery Road, Newnan 770-254-3745 • Lynch Park Pool 23 Richard Allen Drive, Newnan 770-683-0467

Coweta County Code Enforcement 4 Madison Street, Newnan 770-254-2669 Coweta County Human Resources 22 East Broad Street, Newnan 770-254-2604 Coweta County Coroner 195 International Park, Newnan 770-683-0444 Coweta County Development Authority 100 International Park, Newnan 770-304-1777 Coweta County GIS Department 22 East Broad Street, Newnan 678-854-0029 crichmond@coweta.ga.us Coweta County Transportation and Engineering (includes stormwater and floodplain management) 21 East Washington Street, Newnan 770-254-3775 Coweta County Business Tax (business license) 22 East Broad Street 770-254-2626 Coweta County Environmental Health 28 East Washington St., Newnan 770-683-7345 Coweta County Tax Commissioner 22 East Broad St., Newnan 770-254-2670 www.cowetataxcom.com

Coweta Voter Registration Office 22 East Broad St., Newnan 770-254-2615

Coweta County Tax Assessor 37 Perry St., Newnan 770-254-2680 www.cowetatax.com

Coweta Building Inspection Department 4 Madison St., Newnan 770-254-2660

Coweta County Commissioners Office 22 East Broad St., Newnan 770-254-2601

Coweta Board of Elections 22 East Broad Street, Newnan 678-854-0015

Coweta County Health Department 70 Hospital Rd., Newnan 770-254-7400

Coweta County Planning and Zoning Department 22 East Broad Street, Newnan 770-254-2635

Coweta Public Library System • Central Library 85 Literary Lane, Newnan 770-683-2052

• Powell Library 25 Hospital Road, Newnan 770-253-3625 • Grantville Branch Library 100 Park Drive, Grantville 770-683-0535 • Senoia Branch 148 Pylant Street, Newnan 770-599-3537 Coweta County Probate Court birth/death certificates, marriage licenses, weapons licenses 200 Court Square, Newnan 770-254-2640 Coweta County Visitor’s Center 200 Court Square, Newnan 770-254-2627 Coweta County Fire Department non emergency 483 Turkey Creek Rd., Newnan 770-254-3900 Coweta 911 non emergency 195 International Park, Newnan 770-254-3911 Coweta Emergency Management 195 International Park, Newnan 770-254-2650 Coweta County Road Department 101 Selt Rd., Newnan 770-253-0794 Coweta County Environmental Management (trash/recycling/landfill) 101 Selt Rd., Newnan 770-254-3785 Coweta County Prison and Work Release 101 Selt Road, Newnan 770-254-3723 Coweta County Superior Court Clerk 72 Greenville St., Newnan 770-254-2698 Coweta County State Court Clerk 72 Greenville St., Newnan 770-254-2699 Coweta County Juvenile Court 78 Greenville St., Newnan 770-254-3730 Coweta Living 2016-17 161

Coweta Living 2016-17 161

COUNTY / CITIES

Coweta County

COUNTY / CITIES

Coweta County District Attorney’s Office 72 Greenville Street, Newnan 770-254-7300 Coweta County Magistrate Court 72 Greenville Street, Newnan 770-254-2610 Coweta State Court Public Defender 22 East Broad Street, Newnan 770-254-2658 Coweta Superior Court Public Defender 8B Madison Street, Newnan 770-254-2704 Coweta County State Court Probation 10 Olive Street, Newnan 770-252-6440 Coweta Felony Probation 51 Perry Street, Newnan 770-254-7204 Coweta County Event Services (Fairgrounds and community center rentals) 275 Pine Road, Newnan 770-254-2685 UGA Extension Service, Coweta County (4-H) 255 Pine Rd., Newnan 770-254-2620 Coweta Water and Sewerage Authority 545 Corinth Road, Newnan 770-254-3710 www.cowetawater.com Georgia Department of Driver’s Services (drivers license) 128 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan 770-254-7203 Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services 533 Hwy. 29 North, Newnan 770-254-7234 Georgia State Patrol 517 Turkey Creek Rd., Newnan 770-254-7201 Veteran’s Services 22 East Broad Street, Room 119 Newnan 770-254-7260 Social Security Administration Newnan Field Office 246 Bullsboro Drive, Newnan 1-800-772-1213

162 Coweta Living 2016-17

A Advertiser INDEX

92.5 The Bear....................................... 57 Alfa Insurance..................................... 28 Arbor Springs....................................... 56 Arnall Grocery Company................. 52 Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates.........................................125 Bank of North Georgia...................... 23 The Bedford School.......................... 145 Brewton-Parker College.................. 145 C.S. Toggery.......................................... 7 Cancer Treatment Centers of America..........................................67 Carl E. Smith & Sons Building Materials, Inc..................................... 63 Center for Allergy & Asthma.............10 Charlie's Towing.................................. 28 Charter Bank....................................... 35 Christian City........................................13 Collector's Corner and The BoneYard.....................................51 Coweta Cities & County Employees Federal Credit Union........................ 29 Coweta Community Foundation........................................ 73 Coweta Convention & Visitors Bureau................................................ 59 Coweta County Development Authority.............................................21 Coweta County School System..... 133 Coweta Hearing Clinic..................... 113 Coweta Hills Community...................61 Coweta-Fayette EMC........................ 33 Crossroads Church............................... 2 Edward Jones......................................11 Eye Consultants of Atlanta................. 6 Fresh Vitamins....................................123 Georgia Bone & Joint, LLC.................. 3 Golden's Spray Foam Insulation........................................... 24 Hollberg's Fine Furniture.................... 55 Insignia of Newnan.......................... 109 Jack Peek's Sales...............................163 Joe Dion State Farm.......................... 43 Kam, Ebersbach & Lewis................... 45 Kimble's Food by Design....................51 Knox & Panoply.................................. 39 Lee-King Pharmacy............................41 Let Them Eat Toffee............................ 52 Lillian Gardens.................................... 49 Main Street Newnan.......................... 43 Matrix Insurance..................................47

Mayfield Carpets............................... 40 McGuire's Buildings............................ 65 McKoon Funeral Home..................... 33 Musicology.........................................107 Newnan First United Methodist Church............................................... 90 Newnan Theatre Company..............81 The Newnan Times-Herald...............139 Newnan Utilities...................................19 Newnan-Coweta Board of Realtors.......................................... 64 Pain Care............................................... 4 Peachtree City Obstetrics & Gynecology, PC.............................. 9 PTC Party Rentals................................ 55 Peachtree Pediatric Dentistry, L.L.C.................................. 119 Piedmont Healthcare.......................164 Pontoni Hair Design & Skin Care.....121 Powers Heating & Air..........................31 Progressive Heating and Air Conditioning.................................. 5 Renee Horton Agency/American Family Insurance............................... 55 Senior Helpers.................................... 115 Sewell Marine...................................... 60 Somerby Peachtree City....................15 SouthCrest Bank................................. 27 Southern Roots Nursery & Gardens..........................................47 SouthTowne......................................... 25 St. Paul's Episcopal Church................91 Stemberger & Cummins, P.C............ 37 StoneBridge Early Learning Center...............................................137 Treasures Old & New.......................... 42 Typo Market..........................................41 Uniquely Gifted.................................. 43 United Bank......................................... 53 United Community Bank................... 32 Unity Baptist Church...........................91 The University of Georgia - Griffin Campus........................................... 143 University of West Georgia...............141 Vining Stone...................................... 105 Ward Law Office................................. 46 WellStar West Georgia Medical Center...............................................129 Wesley Woods of Newnan............... 117 West Georgia Design Build, Inc......... 8 West Georgia Technical College...... 135

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